New community dental clinic opens in London

Fanshawe's President, Peter Devlin, and faculty members from the School of Health Sciences celebrated the opening of the Wright Clinic. The new dental clinic serves people enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, receiving Ontario Works or ODSP, experiencing homelessness or living with a low income as defined by Statistics Canada.

On Friday, September 16, Fanshawe President Peter Devlin, along with faculty members from the School of Health Sciences, were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the Wright Clinic. The new community dental clinic provides services for people enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, receiving Ontario Works or ODSP, experiencing homelessness or living with a low income as defined by Statistics Canada. 

The clinic opened last year, however the grand opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been in the works for more than 10 years and is the first of its kind in London. It is operated by London Community Dental Alliance with involvement from Fanshawe faculty and students.

“The idea for the clinic came into being when a group from the community realized there was a need for a place where folks could go for accessible dental care, beyond what the dental schools can provide,” says Lara Timler, professor in the Dental Hygiene program at Fanshawe and member of the London Community Dental Alliance.

The clinic serves as a place for students studying in Fanshawe’s Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs to gain clinical experience while providing a much-needed service in our community. It is funded primarily through donations and grants, with a small fee for service. There are salaried staff, including a dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant and receptionist, and other dental health professionals volunteer their time to work at the clinic. People must meet strict eligibility criteria to access the services, and there is already high demand.

“The Wright Clinic offers complete care, not just emergency care, for people who need it most,” says Timler. “It’s about helping people on their journey for oral health.” 

For more information, visit www.wrightclinic.ca.