Province doubles grant funding for low-cost dental clinics

File photo courtesy CBC.

The B.C. government says it will double its annual operating support for not-for-profit dental clinics that provide free or low-cost dental care.

The increase in annual operating support will see $3.6 million over three years, including $2 million to upgrade dental equipment.

Each of the 24 clinics will get an annual grant of $20,000 over three years to help offset the costs for required materials and dental lab fees, which doubles the amount clinics got in 2017.

The announcement comes after the province released its first poverty reduction strategy, TogetherBC.

“Access to quality, affordable dental health and hygiene care should be available to more people, and that’s why we’re making it a part of this government’s efforts to reduce poverty throughout B.C.,” Poverty Reduction minister Shane Simpson said in a statement.

There are two reduced cost clinics in Victoria, one in Sidney and another in Nanaimo.

Equipment that will be purchased with the $2 million over three years include X-ray machines, dental chairs, pediatric equipment and computer software for electronic submission of dental forms.

The government says around 54,000 patients visited not-for-profit dental clinics in B.C. last year

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