Media Release: EXPANDED CHURCHILL DENTAL CLINIC REOPENS

FROM THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH

DATE: Friday, September 8, 2006

EXPANDED CHURCHILL DENTAL CLINIC REOPENS

A new, expanded two-chair dental clinic in Churchill will provide 1600 local residents with treatment closer to home, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said today.

Ms Pike said the upgrade of Churchill’s new clinic at the Latrobe Community Health Service meant people would no longer be forced to travel to Moe for their dental care.

“The new $220,000 refurbishment will have the capacity to treat an additional 1600 people with a new dental chair augmenting the existing chair,” Ms Pike said.

“The new clinic will be part of the LaTrobe Community Health Service network and will build on services provided from the existing Moe clinic.

“The Bracks Government is committed to expanding dental services for all Victorians and the new service means Gippsland residents will have more choice in where they receive public dental care.”

As a result of dental workforce shortages, the Churchill Clinic was forced to close in 2004. However, the LaTrobe Community Health Service has been successful in recruiting dental clinicians and the Moe clinic is fully staffed.

Ms Pike paid tribute to the Member for Morwell, Brendan Jenkins, who has been a tireless crusader for the return of public dental services to Churchill.

“Rarely has a day gone by that Brendan has not been on the phone to my office, pressing for a solution that would see the re-opening of this clinic,” Ms Pike said.

Ms Pike said since coming to office the Bracks Government had spent $158 million on improving dental health across Victoria.

“Since the end of 2004, we have reduced the general dental waiting by 84,464 people - from 262,440 to 177,976,” Ms Pike said.

“And average general dental waiting times have been reduced by around seven months, with the waiting time for dentures coming down by more than a year.”

The Churchill public dental clinic will be fully operational in 2007.