It’s been five months since Your Hometown Dentist moved into its new digs in Haliburton village, with the business’ Paula Crawford saying the early focus has been building a brand-new clientele from scratch.
The office, located at 739 Mountain St. in the space that once housed Volunteer Dental Outreach (VDO), opened in February. Crawford said it’s the seventh office she and her brother, Dr. Cam Crawford, have opened in cottage country, with other locations in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.
Paula said her brother has ties to the area, with his in-laws living in Haliburton. When he heard, last year, that VDO would be closing, he identified the Highlands as an ideal place to expand.
“That was around the same time we had just started doing more outreach work with our mobile trailer, with the goal of servicing more rural communities or helping those having trouble accessing a dentist,” Crawford said. “It seemed like a match for us. Instead of bringing our trailer up to Haliburton County for events, we felt there was enough of a need for us to establish a permanent location.”
The space is open five days per week, Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. While their roster has been filling up, Crawford said there’s still lots of room for those looking for a new dentist.
“We don’t have waitlists. We’re able to see people right away,” Crawford noted.
They have hired five staff to run the office, including a dental hygienist and two dentists, Dr. Adeel Husain and Dr. Megan Fulford. Crawford said services include regular cleanings, extractions, root canals and other complex treatments.
They also have a strong referral network, meaning they can get people in for dentures and appointments requiring sedation without having to go on a waitlist.
“I would say our specialty is treating people of all ages. Our female dentist has a lot of experience working with children,” Crawford said.
With the federal government last year expanding the Canadian Dental Care Plan, Crawford said staff are experienced helping people get registered. She said they offer direct billing, so people don’t have to pay out of pocket for procedures and then try to recoup their money.
Crawford said Your Hometown Dentist is equipped to deal with emergencies immediately, with no wait times. If someone can’t get into the Haliburton office, they will be referred to the next closest location, Crawford said.
The dentist is hosting a community BBQ July 24 from noon to 3 p.m. Crawford said it’ll be an opportunity for staff to connect with the public.
“We’re hoping people come and check us out, see the space… it’s a beautiful location, the office itself is gorgeous still from when VDO had it,” she said.
Despite opening an office in the village, Crawford said Your Hometown Dentist staff are still committed to serving rural parts of the County or offering after hours care through its mobile trailer.
“We had it at the Haliburton Home & Cottage Show and had a lot of people stopping by, saying how great it was that we were there on a weekend. So many people put off dental care because they can’t find appointments that fit their schedule,” Crawford said. “It’s a full-service trailer, so we can do almost anything in there. If there’s a big event in the area, we’re more than happy to bring it out.”
For more information, visit yourhometowndentist.ca.
