Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic van was parked on the grounds of Mississauga Valley Community Centre on Saturday afternoon amid hot and humid weather.
Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic was there to promote dental health program of Peel region for kids between the ages of 0 – 18. The mobile unit was furnished with equipment to look after oral health of kids whose parents cannot afford to have dental insurance.
Bollywwod Boom - Pratecksha, Ria, Kopinanath, Priyanka, Heming, Barsha and Thomas from St. Francis Zavier high school performed at Health Fair
In addition to this, the unit also provides free of cost services to seniors. While the program for low income families is in the makings, Peel region has just expanded its services from ages 0 – 13 to ages 0 – 18 after receiving funding from Ontario Ministry of Health and Long term care.
Kerima Meraly, dental hygienist with Public Health, says to brush teeth twice a day and “floss, floss, floss and floss” is essential for healthy dentals. While Peel region has serviced large number of South Asians, the community members do not take dental hygiene quite seriously.
Kerima Meraly, dental hygienist with Peel region's dental care mobile unit
Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic was there as part of the health fair organized by Citizens for the Advancement of Community Development (CACD) was founded in 2002. CACD focus is on “High Priority Neighbourhoods” and provide preventative, positive life strategies to dissuade youth from making negative choices that may lead to violence and contact with the criminal justice system. This is conveyed through various programs such as Life/social Skills workshops, leadership and empowerment seminars, mentoring, parenting workshops, youth justice workshops, health promotion, music dance and other as-necessary social services.
Kuldip Randhawa. volunteer coordinator at Punjabi Community Health Services with a volunteer
Among other organizations that were part of health fair were Punjabi Health Community Services (PHCS) and Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network.
Ryan Frempong, youth engagement worker, of Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network with volunteers
PCHS promotes health stream in regards to family enhancement, health promotion and community building. Kuldip Randhawa, volunteer coordinator, says PCHS also has programs for at risk youth between the ages of 13 – 18, women, men, family and seniors. Its men’s program provides three-hour class every day on alcoholic, gambling, substance abuse addiction. It also offers classes of parenting to bridge cultural and generational gap between parents and kids.
“We’ve program to prevent youth violence because of gangs, mental health, violent crimes, bullying,” says Ryan Frempong, youth engagement worker at Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network. The organization also provides voice to youth and focuses on middle school and high school students and colleges that have children in this age group.
By: Staff Reporter
