Hundreds of Refugees Receive Free Dental Treatment in Winnipeg
Hundreds of refugees received dental treatment this weekend thanks to an event hosted by Manitoba Dental Association and the University of Manitoba College of Dentistry.
The Open Wide event was aimed at families who have been in Winnipeg for less than a year and enabled people who had never seen a dentist before to receive valuable dental treatment. Over the course of the day on Saturday 5th November, patients flocked through the doors of the clinic. Many had been suffering from severe dental pain for prolonged periods of time as a result of a lack of access to dental treatment in their native country.
Huwaida Alamouri had been in Winnipeg for just 14 days when she arrived at the clinic with her 10 year old son Muhammed. The family had spent a year living in a refugee camp in Turkey after fleeing Syria and Muhammed has only ever seen a dentist once before. Using a translator, the worried mother said that the staff had made her feel very comfortable and put her mind at ease.
Dr Cory Sul was one of around 100 volunteers who participated in the event. The paediatric dentist said it was rewarding to take part and added that is was important for everyone to pull together to help those who have endured months, even years of hardship.
The team was hoping to treat around four hundred people at the event.
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