Community

Dentist Shorokh Hamandani (right) and his son and assistant Payman Hamadani discuss oral health with volunteer Benjamin Diaz (left).

A project targeting the oral health of low-income Maori and Pacific Islander adults took place in Linwood and was a great success.

Free dental services such as extractions and fillings were on offer to those living in Linwood and surrounding areas.

Funded by Wrigley Company Foundation and New Zealand Dental Association Community Service Grants, the I Roto Dental Services Project was gifted over $4000 to provide services to 20-25 patients.

Co-ordinator for the project at the Linwood Dental Centre Shorokh Hamandani, said this target group was chosen as they are some of the most vulnerable to poor oral health.

“We have to start somewhere and the uptake of their (Maori and Pacific Islander adults) oral health care is really quite low.” - Mr Hamandani said one of his patients hadn’t been to the dentist in more than 10 years. The project is split into two elements, a prevention aspect and the treatment aspect.

Benjamin Diaz volunteers his time to help out with the prevention aspect. This involves visiting maraes and speaks to people about the importance of maintaining oral health care.

“We advocate the programme and encourage people to come down and visit the dentist and see what services may be available to them,” Mr Diaz said.

Resources are funded by the project and the time and services are volunteered. Treatments took place on consecutive Saturdays. Each patient was given a half hour window where they could receive fillings, extractions, radiographs, root canal dressing and gum cleaning, based on their needs. After treatment, volunteers sat down with patients and family members to discuss good oral care. They were given bags with toothpaste, a toothbrush and dental floss with instructions.

Flyers were dispersed to community areas such as Linwood Library and Linwood Medical Centre about the project, encouraging people to visit the dental clinic.

This was the sixth year Wrigley Company Foundation and New Zealand Dental Association Community Service Grants have offered funding to those in need through-out New Zealand.

Approximately $47,000 was offered this year and dispersed between 12 projects across the country.