The Dental Department at Weeneebayko General Hospital currently employs three full-time and one part-time dentist, as well as a full-time dental hygienists to provide dental services to the communities of Moose Factory, Moosonee, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Attawapiskat and Peawanuck. In addition we have a support staff of five dental assistants and one dental office supervisor. In the hospital clinic we operate three dental chairs with additional clinics in each of the satellite communities.  As well, the dental department currently has the use of the operating room 3 days a week for selected cases.  Dentists are based out of the hospital and travel one week each month to a satellite clinic to provide care to the more isolated communities along the coast of James Bay.  The scope of dentistry in the region includes a significant restorative and surgical component, as well as endodontics and pediatrics. The Dental department is also a designated teaching site for the Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario, hosting both dental students and residents at various times throughout the year

Under the terms and conditions of a Contribution Agreement between Health Canada, First Nations Inuit Health Branch, and Weeneebayko Health Ahtuskaywin, for the provision of dental care benefits to all registered clients of the Taykwa Tagamou, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Attawapiskat, Moose Cree and Weenusk First Nation living on and off-reserve in the Weeneebayko Health Ahtuskaywin catchment area (which includes New Post and Cochrane) in the Province of Ontario.

Dental Services for the people of the Mushkegowuk Territory is delivered out of a Dental office at the Weeneebayko General Hospital with three operatories, and 5 satelite dental offices in Peawanuck, Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany and Moosonee.

From our Moose Factory dental office, care is managed for Moose Factory and Moosonee clients. One of our three dental operatories is designated to the dental hygienists office.  We have a Dental Office Supervisor who books appointments for these two communities and maintains the schedules of all three dentists.  We also provide a part time dentist who primarily does the dental operating room cases. To support the work of the dentists and the hygienist, we have five full time dental assistants who staff the dental office and travel to the communities with the dentists on their community visits.

The communities of the territory situated along the eastern shores of the James Bay coast, receive dental visits monthly based on the availability of a dentist. If they require more complicated care, they are sent down to Moose Factory or further south for more specialized care.

Dentists are hired for a one or two year contract and are offered partially equipped housing units in Moose Factory. We offer Vacation and CDE benefits totaling 6 – 8 weeks per annum. The cost for moving in and out is covered up to a maximum of $7,000.00. We offer a travel benefit of four trips per annum for the dentist and his/her family up to the cost of a full fare ticket from Moose Factory to Toronto return.

In September 2005 we initiated a dental hygienist program for the people of the Territory.  This new role will address the ongoing needs of dental health education for the region and will augment the dental care delivered in the department with cleaning and scaling services.

Through an affiliation agreement with the University of Toronto, School of Dentistry, dental students are on site to acquire new skills and practice their learned skills.  A dental resident program provides new dentists an opportunity to experience delivery of dental care for First Nations people in their own communities. The students enjoy the experiences they gain while on site here in Moose Factory.