People coming to Yellowknife for dental travel may be asked to change their plans because of a coming medical travel accommodation crunch, the GNWT says.
In a Tuesday notice, the territory and its health authority said “the availability of medical travel accommodation in Yellowknife will be significantly reduced during the months of September and October.”
The GNWT attributed that to “exceptionally high seasonal demand and limited lodging capacity.”
While multiple new hotels are under construction in Yellowknife, an accommodation shortage has been an issue in the territorial capital for years.
According to the GNWT, people whose dental travel is arranged through the NWT’s health authority – and who have routine, non-urgent dental appointments coming up in Yellowknife – may be asked to defer them until later in the fall if they can’t find an alternative place to stay.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“This temporary measure allows available accommodation capacity to be prioritized for residents travelling for medical care and urgent dental treatment,” the territory stated.
The GNWT said dental clinics are expected to visit Aklavik, Fort Good Hope, Fort McPherson, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Paulatuk, Sambaa K’e, Tsiigehtchic, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok “in the coming months,” and those may alleviate some of the issue.
Patients in the Beaufort Delta may also be able to book dental appointments in Whitehorse, the GNWT said. And a new dental practice is in the process of opening in Inuvik.
