The Alex Dental Health Bus was helping Syrian refugees get the care they needed on Saturday, February 13, 2016.

The new Calgarians have been busy settling into their homes and have had little time for personal care, like dental checkups. One family that visited the bus hadn’t had dental care in four years.

“I come so somebody look at my teeth, for I and my family,” said Irfan Atani.

The dental health bus pulled up at the Margaret Chisholm Resettlement Centre to offer the services. The Alex Community Health Centre donated the bus and recruited volunteers.

“If we can have people step forward from the dental community, we can provide the facility,” said Denise Kokaram with the Alex Dental Health Bus. “Weekends work best because the refugees have a lot of appointments during the week.”

A dentist offered oral exams, x-rays and hygiene lessons, and volunteered his own office for follow-up appointments. The team organizing the clinics hopes others will step up too so that they can schedule more visits by the bus.