Free Dental Cleanings Offered in Port Hope and Lindsay as Part of ‘Gift From the Heart’ EventContributed by admin on Jan 15, 2015 - 08:47 PMNormally you would associate Valentine’s Day with the heart, but this year, local dental professionals want you to think about ‘teeth.’Three dental hygienists in Port Hope and Lindsay are serving up a Valentine Day’s treat a week early by joining colleagues across Canada in the Gift From the Heart Day (www.giftfromtheheart.ca) on Saturday, February 7. The event sees dental hygienists offer their skills free-of-charge to help those who cannot afford dental treatment. By doing this, dental hygienists want to boost access to dental care and highlight the link between oral health and overall health.“Some people in our community do not get dental care on a regular basis due to high costs and other barriers,” says Mary Ito, a Cobourg-based Registered Dental Hygienist and owner of the Northumberland Dental Hygiene Clinic (www.northumberlanddental.ca). “Gift From the Heart is intended to provide dental care to those in need who might not be able to get it elsewhere.”Ito, who is also a member of the Northumberland Oral Health Coalition, says Gift From the Heart is one small way to address a serious problem in the area. “Every day, I see firsthand how people struggle to pay for proper oral health care,” she notes.Gift From the Heart events are planned on February 7 at the following locations:At the Port Hope Community Health Centre (99 Toronto Rd). Ito will be joined by other dental professionals in providing free dental care and cleanings. Local residents have until January 30 to call the Community Health Centre at (905) 885-2626, ext. 208, to put their name on a list for an appointment. Callers will be asked a short list of questions to determine their treatment needs. Accepted clients will be contacted on February 2 to confirm appointment times.At Fresh Dental Hygiene Care in Port Hope. Call (905) 800-0288 or visit www.freshdentalhygienecare.com for more details.At Dental Hygiene Care by Marnie in Lindsay. For more information, call (705) 879-1689 or visit www.dentalhygienecarebymarnie.ca.