In January of each year - free dental care for one day. Sounds great, doesn't it. I was not impressed, unfortunately.
From their website patting themselves on the back for giving one-time free care..."Patients arrived in the wee hours of the morning to line up for free dental care." What they neglect to mention is that it was one of the coldest days of the year, and the patients were not allowed inside. They had to wait outside in extreme cold weather. Most of them, like many of the people who live in Prince Edward County, were elderly.
My own experience on that day - I have been looking for a dentist and Picton Dental Centre was under consideration. So I was thinking of going over there to get a free filling and check it out for ongoing treatment, as there was no mention in all their advertising of doing this only for people in need. So I thought it was a Christmas thing where they were doing an act of goodwill. You did not find out that it was only for people in need until you got there and I wonder if some were turned away for that reason. Lucky I checked the weather and decided a polar bear couldn't survive the temp and frosty winds.
However, before that I called for info, only to be told by a harassed and unfriendly admin. that I should just go look at the website if I wanted info, she was too busy. She did say to show up very early and to dress warmly I would have to wait outside in the cold. Considering that was minus 20 or even colder, that was a no go right there. I found out later that a few people simply could not tolerate the cold, and after waiting for hours and freezing, with no sympathy or help from the dental office, they left without being treated.
It seems a bit arrogant to me to tell poor people you are going to help them, then make them wait in extreme cold weather for hours while the dentists were in a nice warm building. That kind of uncaring attitude caused me to cross this place off my list of potential dentists. read more
