July 31, 2012

Olympic Athletes Need Dental Care Too!

Dr. Chilcoat @ 10:15 am
 

Olympic Village London 2012

The London Summer Olympics are on everybody’s mind right now, and we are all cheering on Team USA as they work to bring home the gold.  So much planning and preparation go into creating the Olympic Village and all the venues and amenities which we are accustomed to seeing when we watch the games on TV.  With the city of London Hosting over 18,000 Olympic Athletes and officials within Olympic Village this summer, keeping them all housed and fed is a huge undertaking.  One thing you might not have thought about is what happens to the athletes if they become ill, have a toothache or other health problem?

The healthcare of Olympic Athletes is not something I’ve thought of before.  I found out that the City of London built a state of the art multi-specialty clinic to take care of all the health, dental and eye care needs of the Olympians while they are staying at Olympic Village.  The £23 million facility will provide healthcare free of charge to the Olympic athletes and officials.  The center is open 24 hours a day and expects to take care of 200 people per day.

In addition to expected sports injuries and urgent care, the clinic is providing free dental care and vision care to athletes.  “We would complete and finish a root canal for someone who might not be able to get it in their own country,” said Wendy Turner, one of the dentists who works in the clinic. “There will be competitors who haven’t had much access to dental care. It is an opportunity for them to get it sorted out.”

With a small city of 18,000 athletes, coaches and officials housed in Olympic Village, it is easy to see how complex it can be to orchestrate accommodations, meals and even healthcare for these world-class athletes. It looks like London has it all figured out, having thought of every last detail to ensure comfort and hospitality for their guests from around the world.

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