Avens opens on-site dental clinic
Satellite office hours to be based on demand
Meagan Leonard
Northern News Services
Thursday, August 20, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Seniors living in the Avens complex won't have to go very far to get their teeth examined, thanks to a satellite dental office that opened there this week.
Avens' seniors community celebrated the grand opening of its new on-site dental clinic Tuesday, where Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy got to be the first to sit in the chair. Standing in back are former mayor Gord Van Tighem, left, Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, Dr. Hassan Adam, and Avens CEO Jeff Renaud. - Meagan Leonard/NNSL photo
|
Staff and community members gathered Tuesday morning to celebrate the grand opening of the new on-site dental clinic.
Avens CEO Jeff Renaud told Yellowknifer the two-year project is just one of the many initiatives included in the site's redevelopment initiative and will help more residents access dental services close to home.
"This is a big deal for Avens," he said. "It means more seniors won't have to make the time to travel downtown or to get a dental extraction done. Having a fully serviceable dental clinic on site is a wonderful thing."
Dr. Hassan Adam, who will be managing the satellite clinic from his main office, Adam Dental Clinic on Franklin Avenue, said over the past few years he has frequently heard complaints from elderly patients who have difficulty getting around town.
"(There were) complaints from a lot of the seniors who had to walk all the way to the clinic in the winter time when it's slippery and hard to find a place to park," he said. "Some appointments are very quick so it takes you an hour to get there, and you're there for five minutes, then out again - we've had quite a few complaints about that."
Avens provided space for the clinic and Adam paid for the construction and necessary equipment, adding he will be allowed to operate rent-free. He said they have not yet decided what days the clinic will be open or what the hours of operation will be; it will depend on the demand.
"Avens will give us a list of people demanding services and based on that we will bring in the right people and make the place available," he said. "Certainly it will make a big difference for them, not having to walk to the clinic or find parking spaces."
Adam says he is excited to see the project completed and is glad he can be a part of improving access to health services.
"I think it's great for the community and great for Avens," he said. "A lot of the people who stay here are friends of mine who were my patients years ago, so it's great to come back and help them out."
