CNC expands access to oral health care in Northern B.C

PRINCE GEORGE – The College of New Caledonia is taking a recent grant from Health Canada and using it to expand dental care outside of the conventional office setting. The $178,146 in funds was provided by the Oral Health Access Fund as a part of the Canadian Dental Care Plan. The funds were used to purchase seven fully portable dental operatories which can be packed into a vehicle and enables students to provide comprehensive dental care anywhere with a single plug in.

“Our vision was to provide care to a community that would not necessarily be able to access dental hygiene care in a conventional setting, such as a dental office. We opted to provide dental hygiene services to a long term care home in Prince George. Simon Fraser Lodge whose residents may or may not be able to access care outside of the home.” said CNC Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator Diane Horita.

Between February and April of 2026 the equipment was put into practice as second year dental students delivered valuable on-site care to 23 residents at Simon Fraser Lodge. The project is a win- win for both sides as dental hygiene students are gaining some much needed experience in a unfamiliar setting while residents who may face barriers accessing routine dental care get treatment at no cost.