Healthy teeth and gums are critical to overall health and well-being. Poor oral health can lead to serious health issues, and can also dramatically reduce confidence, making it difficult to find housing and work. For vulnerable people, the cost of dental care can be a major barrier to accessing preventative and emergency care, resulting in more pain, oral disease, and stigma.
That’s why for the past two decades, Cool Aid has been providing affordable dental care for people with low incomes or those challenged by complex issues like mental health and substance use. Most of our patients have some dental coverage through income assistance, though usually not enough to cover the full cost of procedures, and many – about 20% – have no benefits at all yet are in desperate need of dental care.
This is where you come in! Thanks to generous donations and grants, more people in need are accessing the dental care they need and deserve. But we still need your help. Cool Aid’s dental clinic sees about 5,000 patients a year, and donations are needed so that we don’t have to turn anyone away. To see how donations made a difference last year, please check out this Dental Fund Report.
There are two ways to support people in need of dental care: the Dental Clinic Fund, which allows us to cover costs for most dental procedures and clinic operations, and the Dental Bursary, which allows us to provide dental care for people who have no dental coverage at all.
To donate, please use the secure online form below or contact 250-383-1977. Thank you for your support and for believing, as we do, that everyone deserves to smile.
Looking for more information about Cool Aid’s dental clinic? Contact donate@coolaid.org.
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