The Jindalee School Dental Clinic has decided to close its doors following the recent maintenance issue involving the air conditioning system in January. Due to the air conditioning failure, the clinic wasn’t able to reopen until the unit was replaced.
According to Metro South Health acting chief executive Robert Mackway-Jones, the maintenance issues caused by the recent air conditioning unit failure as well as the replacement were too costly for a clinic that wasn’t being used at full capacity. In fact, the clinic only opens six months per year.
Since 2015, only a total of 2,337 children had appointments at the dental clinic. It was also recorded that most of the families in the suburb prefer to set appointments at the Inala Dental Clinic because of its better facilities and longer opening hours.
The closure may seem like a sound decision when viewed from a business perspective but some people weren’t happy with this decision. According to Tarnya Smith, a Mt Ommaney state LNP MP, the community wasn’t consulted about this. Ms Smith said that the dental clinic has been providing services for 30 years. It has become an institution in the community. She expressed disappointment that the dental clinic did not consult the local community prior to closure.
However, Mr Mackway-Jones denied that they neglected to consult the community. He said that they have discussions with the school community and patients about the planned closure.
The closing of the dental clinic means that patients from Jindalee, Jamboree, and Middle Park state schools to travel further for their dental appointments. The Inala Dental Clinic seems to be a popular alternative choice. To know if your child if eligible for free dental care at this clinic, you can click here.