Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (May 13/98) - Little more than a year after they were ousted by the Keewatin Regional Health Board in favor of private dentists, dental therapists are once more in demand for what will be the region's new dental program.

The move comes after a 30 per cent federal cut to dental fees spurred the exit of Kiguti Dental Services Ltd., the company contracted by the board to provide services for the region.

But Dr. Jay Wortman, head of the Non-insurable Health Benefits Program, said during a visit to Rankin Inlet last week that NIHB funding has been capped and the existing money has to be spent better to include hiring dental therapists.

"We would favor an approach that would bring back dental therapists," he said. "How it unfolds isn't up to us."

With the board and the Kivalliq Inuit Association, Wortman said a new dental program within the region will be developed to provide a better service to the residents.

"They would use our (federal) money and it would be largely controlled by the KIA and the KRHB," he said.

Wortman said that Health Canada had serious concerns when the dental therapists, who are paid by the health board and not the NIHB, were fired.

"We tried to make sure that the money saved on the dental therapists was going back into the dental therapy program," he said. We were unable to do that. We would still like to find out what happened to that money."

Chris Keeley, interim CEO of the KRHB, admitted at a public meeting Thursday night, that the $350,000 was removed from dental therapy and used in other areas.

"The money was used for nursing and other programs," he said. "In essence, it wasn't available to the board to do that with it."

"Obviously, the KIA and the KRHB have a lot to work out in a very short time, but I'm confident they can be worked out."

KIA president Paul Kaludjak said he, too, is sure that a new plan can be developed. "We will work with the KRHB to achieve those goals we have set out together," he said.

He added that the people of the Keewatin can rest assured that they will have dental services on Aug. 1 after Kiguti leaves.