Whereas the rate of oral health day surgeries for children in Windsor and Essex County (300.6/100K) far exceeds that of Ontario (100.4/100K), and
Whereas there is an increased difficulty in obtaining operating room time for dental procedures in Windsor-Essex with wait times exceeding 1 year for children in need of treatment, and
Whereas there is a chronic underfunding of the Healthy Smiles Ontario program creating barriers to accessing services among local dentists, and
Now therefore be it resolved that the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health recognizes the critical importance of oral health for vulnerable children and youth, and
FURTHER THAT, urges the Ministry of Health to reconsider its decision to download 30% of the funding of the Healthy Smiles Ontario Program to local municipalities, and
FURTHER THAT this resolution be shared with the Ontario Minister of Health, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, local MPP's, the Association of Public Health Agencies, Ontario Boards of Health, the Essex County Dental Society, the Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry, the Ontario Dental Association and local municipalities and stakeholders .
References:
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. (2019). Community Needs Assessment 2019 Update. Windsor, Ontario Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. (2018). Oral Health Report, 2018 Update. Windsor, Ontario
We would be pleased to discuss this resolution with you and thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,
Gary McNamara Chair, Board of Health
Theresa Marentette Chief Executive Officer
- : Theresa Marentette Chief Executive Officer
- Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
- Hon. Patty Hadju, Minister of Health
- Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health & Long Term Care
- Pegeen Walsh, Executive Director, Ontario Public Health Association
- Association of Local Public Health Agencies – Loretta Ryan
- Association of Municipalities of Ontario
- Essex County Dental Society
- Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry
- Ontario Dental Association
- Ontario Boards of Health
- WECHU Board of Health
- Corporation of the City of Windsor – Clerk's office
- Corporation of the County of Essex – Clerk's office
- Local MPP's – Percy Hatfield, Lisa Gretzky, Taras Natyshak, Rick Nicholls
- Local MP's – Brian Masse, Irek Kusmeirczyk, Chris Lewis, Dave Epp