Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Dr. Harinder Dhanju: Addressing dental needs in the community

Darpan News Desk, 12 Apr, 2019 12:29 AM

    Dr. Dhanju is proud of the work POHS does for the community. “This is the only non-profit providing services like these in the Lower Mainland. Other institutions and professionals should learn from this model and set up such organizations around BC and Canada to give services to the community where it is needed.”

     

     


    Dr. Harinder Dhanju, well-known dentist and active member of British Columbia Dental Association since 1998, believes that charity begins at home. Since the start of his dental profession, Dr. Dhanju always looked into his own neighbourhood and community to offer his services to those in need. “I saw a lot of people unable to afford procedures and suffering, so I started giving free services at my own clinic,” shares Dr. Dhanju who soon realised that the need for cost-effective dental services was much bigger than he imagined.
     
    This demand for dental care was tested in 2010, when Dr. Dhanju organized a small group of dedicated dentists and dental team members to provide free dental tests in his Newton office. The response was overwhelming; over 350 people came in to receive dental care. This was an indication that there was a substantial need for oral health care among those who could not access it through conventional dental care settings. This realization encouraged Dr. Dhanju to found Pacific Oral Health Society (POHS) in 2013.


     
    Affiliated with University of British Columbia (UBC) Dentistry, POHS is dedicated to providing access to inexpensive oral and dental health care for lower income and vulnerable individuals and families in the Fraser Valley region. The non-profit offers a full range of dental services including general and family dentistry; pedodontics (children’s dentistry); periodontics (gum treatment), endodontics (root canal) dental implants and oral surgery. “Patients come all the way from Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Richmond and Vancouver to seek dental services. We have grown from four to 22 support staff, along with over eight dentists,” says Dr. Dhanju proudly.
     
    Besides helping the disadvantaged, POHS offers foreign dental graduates various courses and a state of the art facility in which to practise in preparation for the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) examinations. The Society also plays a vital role in educating and encouraging the younger generation about the dental profession. “We offer dental graduates and youngsters hands-on experience to understand what a dental profession entails,” explains Dr. Dhanju who is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC’s Dentistry faculty. Additionally, the facility delivers continuing dental education programs to dental professional living in the region.
     


    Dr. Dhanju is continuously educating and motivating the public regarding oral health diseases through dental awareness camps and events. Every year during fall season Rotary Club assist POHS to organize free oral cancer screening event where people can get a dental check-up done free of cost. “In the past we have saved a few lives,” mentions Dr. Dhanju, “because every year we shortlist 20 to 30 people who show signs of cancer in their mouth but they don’t even know it exists. With the help of BC Oral Cancer Prevention Program, we speed up their file and they get the proper treatment so that the cancer does not spread further.”
     
    Dr. Dhanju is proud of the work POHS does for the community. “This is the only non-profit providing services like these in the Lower Mainland. Other institutions and professionals should learn from this model and set up such organizations around BC and Canada to give services to the community where it is needed.”


     
    Pacific Oral Health Centre



    Suite 300 - 15850 24 Avenue Surrey BC V3Z 0G1
    Telephone: 604-536-2700
    Email: info@pohs.ca

    www.pohs.ca

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Former British Columbia Mayor To Plead Guilty: Prosecution Service

    Former British Columbia Mayor To Plead Guilty: Prosecution Service
    The prosecution service did not specify which charges Luke Strimbold plans to enter guilty pleas on, but it says in an emailed statement that his lawyer told a court earlier this week that Strimbold intended to enter guilty pleas at his next appearance on May 6 in Smithers.  

    Former British Columbia Mayor To Plead Guilty: Prosecution Service

    Schools Struggle With Phone Bans: 'These Devices Continue To Cause Major Problems'

    Schools Struggle With Phone Bans: 'These Devices Continue To Cause Major Problems'
    On Friday, March 29, St. Francis School in Harbour Grace, N.L., announced a ban on cellphones and other personal electronics for its students, who range from kindergarten through Grade 8.    

    Schools Struggle With Phone Bans: 'These Devices Continue To Cause Major Problems'

    Opioid Overdoses Claimed More Than 3,200 Lives In First Nine Months Of 2018

    OTTAWA — The Public Health Agency of Canada has released new data showing that than 3,200 Canadians died after apparent opioid-related overdoses between January and September last year.

    Opioid Overdoses Claimed More Than 3,200 Lives In First Nine Months Of 2018

    Canadian Research Finds Steep Increase In Suicide Attempts By Children

    Canadian Research Finds Steep Increase In Suicide Attempts By Children
    MONTREAL — A Canadian researcher says the number of children taken to hospital for suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts is rising, and more data and resources are needed to address the problem.

    Canadian Research Finds Steep Increase In Suicide Attempts By Children

    First Black Hole Photo Makes Science Fiction Into Science Fact, Ontario Researcher Among Global Team Unveiling First Image

    An Ontario scientist that was part of a global team unveiling the world's first captured image of a black hole says the picture helps make science fiction into science fact.

    First Black Hole Photo Makes Science Fiction Into Science Fact, Ontario Researcher Among Global Team Unveiling First Image

    Trudeau Says Mayor Who Compared Quebec Bill To Ethnic Cleansing Should Apologize

    Speaking to reporters this morning in Ottawa, Trudeau said Hampstead Mayor William Steinberg's comments were unacceptable.    

    Trudeau Says Mayor Who Compared Quebec Bill To Ethnic Cleansing Should Apologize