A large RV that offers dental care for underprivileged youth aged 6 to 24 got a big boost from the Foothills on June 28.

The first ever Daher Smile Cup golf tournament for the Alex Dental Health Bus took place at the Heritage Point Golf Club and helped to raise money and awareness for the program.

Dental care can be one thing that gets pushed to the side when a family is facing tough times.

Denise Kokaram, program lead says the bus offers an important service.  

"We are a mobile dental health bus service," said Kokaram. "We go out to approximately 40 identified high needs schools in the City of Calgary and we also offer community oral health clinics for people to access our devices as well. We are primarily focused on that six to 24  age group."

If you live outside of Calgary there are a few ways organizers with the Alex Dental Health Bus can help out.

The organization will first of all try to help residents in the Foothills area with a local solution with a dentist but if that doesn't work an appointment can be made at one of the community oral health clinics.

Orthodontist Dr. Sam Daher helped to organize the the golf tournament, says the dentists and their assistants that volunteer on the bus make sure follow up care is provided.

"Some of these kids don't have insurance or can't afford dental treatment so they will find a way and add them to the waiting list so they will get treated on the Alex bus."

The bus has helped provided oral health services and support to 11,000 children providing over $230,000 worth of treatments, since January 2013 and they have a waiting list of 200 kids waiting to be seen by their volunteers.

 

 

 

 

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