Does your child have tooth pain or dental decay? Do you find it difficult to pay for your child’s dental treatment? If so, you’re not alone. Oral health is a very important part of our overall health and well being. However, receiving proper oral care can be expensive, especially for families without dental coverage.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit offers the Children In Need of Treatment (CINOT) program. This program pays for dental care for children with urgent needs, if the child’s family does not have any dental coverage and is unable to cover the cost of treatment.
In the past, CINOT was offered to families with children up to age 14, but has recently been expanded to cover treatment for children up to 17 years of age. The CINOT program does not pay for all dental care; only basic dental care is covered such as fillings, x-rays and the removal of teeth.
Throughout the school year, Public Health dental hygienists visit every elementary school in Grey and Bruce Counties and complete dental screening for children in every other grade year. Dental screening also takes place in all secondary schools in Grey Bruce, by appointment.
For a child to qualify for the CINOT dental program, they must:
- Be screened by a Public Health dental hygienist either during their school screening or by contacting Public Health to book a screening. They must be seen and approved for CINOT before dental treatment can start.
- Have dental decay (cavities), dental pain or infection.
