Nearly three months after a glitzy “grand opening” event with the mother of Governor Aristotoles Sandoval in attendance as guest of honor, the dental clinic at Ajijic’s Centro de Salud is finally running on a regular schedule.
The installation of dentistry care module at the health care facility was completed last December with a state investment of 74,000 pesos for remodeling expenses and contributions of 64,500 pesos from the community to purchase furnishings and equipment. However, town administrator Hector España has spent the past several months battling bureaucratic red tape at the Jalisco Ministry of Health (SSJ) to get the clinic staffed and ready for day-to-day operations. He is still not fully satisfied that things are going as planned to implement a pilot project envisioned as a state model for full service public oral care centers. But, for the moment, he is content to have made it over the first big hurdles.
As of March 3, Dr. Laura Canton Manzano has been put on duty as the clinic’s sole regular dentist to provide basic services such as general examinations, teeth cleanings, cavity fillings and extractions, available to all persons free of charge. Patients are attended both by appointment and on a walk-in basis.
Dr. Miguel Angel Villaseñor Calvillo, SSJ supervisor of oral health, is currently volunteering to offer specialized dental care on Saturdays and Sundays, all day starting at 9 a.m. His services include diagnosing and treating severe dental problems and fitting corrective braces, appliances and prostheses made available at null or reduced costs. Patients seeking care are asked to appear in person to register on the day’s sign-in list.
España and Villaseñor attended the March 7 meeting of lakeside’s British Society to give a progress report on the clinic and make a pitch for ongoing community support to achieve the realization of its complete scope of oral health services.
Society president Ceri Dando subsequently announced that the organization will donate 2,000 pesos to benefit deserving Mexican patients who cannot afford specialized dental care that comes with a price tag.
It should be noted that all state-operated Centros de Salud and hospitals are open to the general public, regardless of nationality or affiliation with government or private insurance plans. Vaccination and clinical examination campaigns, education programs on disease prevention, and basic medical care is provided to all at no cost.