Residents of the San Xavier District in the Tohono O'odham Nation now can visit their dentist at a new state-of-the art clinic on the reservation just southwest of Tucson.
"It's a big deal. It's going to be a huge improvement for patient care," said William Esposito, chief dental officer of the Sells Service Unit Dental Program.
The 7,888-square-foot clinic has 13 dental stations, more than twice as many as the old clinic, Esposito said. The number of annual dental visits is expected to double to about 8,400 in the new building, he added.
The clinic also has digital radiology, which allows patients' X-rays to be pulled up on a computer screen at each station. The technology is a first for an Indian health facility in the Tucson area, Esposito said.
The clinic also will ease access to dental health care, he said, as well as allow for the expansion of preventive services and services to youth.
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The building, which includes office space and a conference room, replaced modular buildings from the 1960s. Federal funds paid for the new facility.
Two dentists work at the clinic, but plans are to eventually have a staff of five dentists and 12 dental assistants. "Improving efficiency is the ultimate aim," Esposito said.
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