Changing Lives with Healthy Smiles

Our Livable Solution’s (OLS) goal at the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour Sleeping Cabin pilot project is to create a trauma responsive, inclusive environment which enables people to comfortably address barriers to successful permanent housing. One of the biggest barriers we face is enabling people to exit homelessness with a healthy smile. Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits do not provide enough funding for dental needs. For example, ODSP benefits only pay $19 per tooth extraction when the actual cost is over $200 per tooth. This type of underfunding has caused many dentists and oral surgeons to not accept those with OW or ODSP benefits as patients.

Thankfully we have built a relationship with a local dentist who will provide check-ups and referrals for oral surgery. But that's where the dental care stops. We cannot find an oral surgeon in Kingston who will accept OW or ODSP patients. We currently have 4 residents in the sleeping cabin pilot project waiting for desperately needed oral surgery care. They cannot eat nutritious meals, their dental pain is excruciating, they suffer from low confidence without a healthy smile, and are at risk for further health complications due to continual abscess infections. Those 4 residents, plus 2 others, will all need dentures. The only option for denture support is to be on the very long waitlist at George Brown College in Toronto. Dental Care is a common challenge for people experiencing homelessness; as we accept new residents, we know this will continue to be a barrier.

We would like to overcome this challenge by having a fund available to help our residents with their dental needs. We hope to raise enough funds to address our current resident's dental needs and support new residents as they join our program.