Healthy smiles are a product of healthy teeth, just ask any dentist. At the dental department inside the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, children are a priority. As such, a few island residents have complained about the limited dental services available to adults. Those complaints are part of the list of issues residents claim are affecting the services of the clinic.
Dentist Ingrid Zuniga confirmed the allegations that the dental services are limited when it comes to adults due to the fact that there is not enough material at the clinic.
“At the moment, the dental services are mostly for children, but we have been having some issues because adults also need treatment. However, we don’t have that much assistance to tend to children and adults at the same time. From time to time, we have dental brigades from other countries that provide general service for everyone,” said Zuniga.
The clinic does provide services to adults, however the target group is diabetic and hypertension patients. “Anything outside of that, like an emergency, we do give them the service. It’s not that we don’t treat adults, but our priority group is children,” explained Zuniga.
The dental clinic is open Monday to Friday with Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays being assigned for the general public. Extractions and treatment for gum inflammation or infections are done early in the mornings. In the afternoon, it is mainly children who get their teeth cleaned and any other services that they may need.
Tuesdays are dedicated to pregnant women at the polyclinic. “There are certain diseases that may come through unhealthy teeth that may cause problems in the pregnancy with extreme cases leading to premature birth,” said Zuniga. “On Thursdays, we do school visits in order to educate children to take care of their teeth and promote prevention.”
Outside of the dental department, there were concerns from patients that the medical facility is lacking air conditioning in their waiting area. Patients have reported that inside the lounge area is always hot, and it concerns them that it might add to the spread of diseases.
In speaking with Owen Vellos, administrator of the polyclinic, he indicated that the clinic has no major issues and the only problem they have been experiencing is with their air-conditioning by the waiting area. “We are getting a new AC unit to set in the waiting area of the clinic, as we have become aware of the need for a new unit. By next week or so, the heat issue will be solved after the new AC is installed,” said Vellos. He reiterated that nothing else is affecting the day to day activities of the medical facility.
According to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II administration, they continue striving to provide the best of service to the general public given the resources they have. Even though in certain areas there may be issues, the administration along with the Ministry of Health are working together to address this and continue the quest to expand their services for the benefit of the Ambergris Caye community.
The clinic is located on Manta Ray Street and opens from 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday and Saturday 8AM to 12noon. For emergencies after hours contact them at 226-2536.
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