North Expected To Miss Dental Therapy School

North Expected To Miss Dental Therapy School

Thursday, November 04, 2010 at 15:28

 

 

A dental therapy student travelled with her class to Regina yesterday to try and save the National School of Dental Therapy in Prince Albert.

 

Housed at the First Nations University of Canada campus, the school is slated to be closed within the year.

 

The school trains students every year, many of whom are Aboriginal, to be dentists in their home communities.

 

Caroline Pearson is a second year student and says letting the school close would be great loss for Prince Albert and people in the province’s north — noting the school provides free services to people in the city.

 

NDP MLA Darcy Furber presented a petition to the legislature signed by 1500 people and 18 community leaders.

 

The Prince Albert MLA says northern Saskatchewan stands to lose out should the school close its doors.

 

Furber says a recent report indicates dentists are the third most required position in the provine’s north.

 

Twelve students from the school travelled to the legislature yesterday to plead their case with Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris.

 

Norris says he is in contact with federal health officials to continue funding the school, and adds he is stressing that this community-based work has helped thousands of people in northern Saskatchewan.

 

Norris also says the rationale offered by Ottawa for this decision doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

 

Federal funding for the program runs out March 31st.