New dental units provide greater accessibility to services

“Brush O Saurus” and “Molars on Rollers” have joined the fleet of MidCentral DHB mobile dental units, and will be bringing dental care to harder to reach parts of the MidCentral region.

From Monday, 22 July, the two new units will start visiting communities throughout the MidCentral area to bring dental services to children and adolescents who are most in need of them.

“Brush O Saurus” is a towable unit and offers full treatment services, within the scope of the Child and Adolescent Oral Health Service (CAOHS), at school sites throughout the region.

These units are replacements for two existing caravans and will be integrated into the school programme from the start of term three.

“Molars on Rollers” is a self-drive unit, which will make it easier for CAOHS to provide treatment services to remote locations and high-needs population groups.

The units were built in Hamilton and are both fully equipped as dental surgeries, with the ability to carry out full examinations, fillings, extractions, polishings and fluoride treatments. The units also feature a state-of-the-art IT system and onboard digital radiography for x-rays.

Dental services clinical director Phil Marshall said the replacement mobiles will enable the dental service to provide a better level of service delivery.

“With these new units, we’ll be able to provide better access and equity across our populations. We unfortunately still see kids with abscesses, which are avoidable, so to be able to increase our reach is something we’re very much looking forward to.”

The two units were blessed on Friday, 19 July, and will be on the region’s road from this week onwards. Information about community dental services, including mobile dental clinic schedules, can be found online at: http://www.midcentraldhb.govt.nz/HealthServices/DentalHealth/Pages/default.aspx#

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