Home / Health / N.W.T. Dental Care Crisis: Small Towns Left Without Dentists
N.W.T. Dental Care Crisis: Small Towns Left Without Dentists
16 Dec
Summary
- Dentist Friedman retired after a decade serving remote N.W.T. communities.
- Broken equipment and funding issues prevent regular dental visits.
- Residents now travel hours, highlighting a growing rural healthcare gap.
A long-serving N.W.T. dentist has retired, sparking concerns about the vanishing access to dental care in remote communities. For over a decade, Dr. Pirjo Friedman provided essential dental services to isolated regions, but deteriorating facilities and equipment have forced her to cease visits to several communities. This decline exacerbates existing challenges for residents who now must travel considerable distances for treatment.
The situation has worsened significantly in recent years, with essential dental infrastructure in communities like Fort Liard and Délı̨nę becoming unusable. Dr. Friedman's retirement leaves a void, forcing residents like those in Fort Resolution to travel two hours to Hay River for appointments. This lack of basic healthcare services is deeply felt in communities already struggling with cutbacks.
Calls for government action are growing, with residents and former dental assistants highlighting the significant need for consistent dental care. While the territorial government seeks funding to repair facilities and awaits new agreements with Indigenous Services Canada, a clear timeline for restoring regular dental visits remains uncertain, leaving many communities in a dental desert.
