Mobile dental services available in McBride
By Andrea Arnold
Robson Valley residents finally have access to dental services for the first time since the Valemount Dental clinic closed in 2022.
Primary Care Nurse Ashley Flavelle has been working tirelessly to secure a dentist and a hygienist that are willing to travel to serve remote communities. She has been granted travel cost coverage by the Northern Interior Rural Division of Family Practice and Northern Health has committed to covering lodging. Flavelle is now looking to “Spirit of the North” grant possibilities to help cover the cost of consumables. Through donor support, the Spirit of the North Foundation provides funding for vital equipment and projects, directly supporting Northern families and communities.
The McBride Community Health Services Centre began providing short term clinic space to Dr. Johannes Yliruusi in December. During his first trip to McBride, Dr. Yliruusi provided dental services to 10 patients and Flavelle is hopeful that with some slight adjustments, that number can be increased during his next visit at the end of January.
Flavelle began the hunt for a mobile dental service provider after a local teacher approached her with concerns about students’ dental health.
“Once a child is over the age of five, they no longer qualify for the Northern Health Authority’s Fluoride Dental Program,” said Flavelle. “Without dental care available locally, it becomes something that doesn’t get a lot of attention until it is too late.”
It isn’t just the immediate oral health that’s a concern. Flavelle said that tooth decay is known to possibly lead to 57 chronic diseases, making it a serious health concern.
Dr. Yliruus is based out of Mackenzie and has served many small rural communities in the past five years including Alert Bay, Queen Charlotte City, Fort St. James, Kitwanga, Moricetown, Smithers, Houston, Burns Lake, McLeod Lake as well as Prince George, his hometown. More recently, he is currently working one week per month in the First Nations communities of Tsilhqot’in and Xeni Gwet’in (Nemaiah Valley) in the Chilcotin area west of Williams Lake.
Aside from the dental chair that has been purchased and installed at the clinic, Dr. Yliruus brings all of his own equipment allowing him to provide routine check-ups, scaling, polishing, assessments, x-rays, filings, root canals, simple and more complex extractions. Some procedures such as dentures are available, but will require multiple appointments.
The Travelling Hygienist, Jackie Tong has set up a mobile clinic in a van and travels to where there is a need. Tong offers cleaning, exams, dental e-xrays, polish, fluoride, whitening, mouthguards and many other services.
Flavelle is working with Tong to establish a schedule and hopes to see her first visit later in 2025. Her goal is to have a visit from one or the other each month, providing some form of dental service to the community 12 times a year.
The offset schedule would allow Tong to assess and complete diagnostic work as well as routine procedures, then Dr. Yliruus could focus on the more complex needs during his visits.
In addition to working within the clinic, both Tong and Dr. Yliruus provide services for those who are home or bed bound, and work wheelchair-side when asked. Tong has a dental van where she can treat patients, and Dr. Yliruus is working on setting up an 18-wheeler all inclusive mobile dental clinic.
