A new dental and oral surgery facility at the Canterbury Charity Hospital in Harewood Road is the first of its kind in New Zealand, and was developed to help reduce unmet need for the service.
The need for extractions under sedation was identified by members of the Canterbury branch of the NZ Dental Association including dentist Dr Stuart Johnson.
“The new oral surgery facility at the Charity Hospital will provide much needed treatment to Cantabrians who have been unable to get treatment through the public system or afford the treatment privately,” said Dr Johnson.
“Patients suffering pain and infection from teeth needing to be extracted by a specialist may now be able to receive this treatment at the Canterbury Charity Hospital providing they meet certain criteria.” The new service also includes denture making on-site.
The Canterbury Charity Hospital’s current dental service for WINZ clients aged 18 to 65 will continue but the addition of volunteer oral surgeons has meant that the new custom-designed building, Warner Mauger House, will now have two clinics. The Canterbury Charity Hospital is in Harewood Road, Bishopdale, and consists of three separate buildings next-door to each other.
Main contractor Naylor Love was responsible for the extensive renovation project which cost $550,000 and includes office and administration space upstairs to free-up existing offices for patient clinics.
Downstairs, a large community room can be used for free by community groups and organisations with a focus on health and wellbeing.
The oral surgery was opened on Saturday 25 February 2017 by former Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae who continues to be the Trust’s Patron.
Pictured above (left to right): Keith Chiang, Peter Ritchie, Bob Begg, Lisa Kahi-Trayer, Stuart Johnson, Mike Sell, Robynn Walsh, Sir Jerry Mateparae, Viv Levy and Mayor Lianne Dalziel (seated).
