Its mission is to be a public dental care establishment, of medium complexity, that fully participates in the care network of the Viña del Mar Quillota Health Service, with the commitment to deliver health care focused on user satisfaction, with quality standards. quality, safety and efficiency.
The Centre employs 49 staff: 19 specialist dentists, 22 dental technicians, one pharmacy technician, four administrative staff, one preschool teacher and one nurse.
40 years of experience
The Simón Bolívar dental center, was part of the pioneering centers in the country, which demonstrated the importance of addressing oral health from early childhood, to improve oral health standards, significantly influencing general health. This is how the 1st basic years of the communes were approached, they attended complete courses, with their teachers, during a school week, a time in which the children and their teachers were cared for, who were treated in their entirety. This model helped demonstrate the importance of dental care for children at age 6, and served as the basis for the definitions of the current GES guarantee. “Comprehensive oral health for children aged 6 years and older”.
Today it has been transformed into a Center for Dental Specialties, becoming the reference center for childhood dentoalveolar trauma of the Health Service, and through an agreement with JUNAEB, it provides care to students from municipal and subsidized schools. In addition, it provides support in the care of users referred to the Dr. Gustavo Fricke Hospital from the areas of cardiology, children’s oncology and pediatrics. In those cases that require interventions in the ward with general anesthesia, pediatric dental specialists attend said establishment to provide said care.
Pandemic effects
During the Covid 19 pandemic, the standards of dental facilities changed substantially, which forced infrastructure adaptation work to be carried out, which resulted in a considerable drop in production during that time. Only in May 2023 did the center begin to operate again at full capacity, so its team of professionals and technicians are making great efforts to overcome the waiting list accumulated during that stage.
Dr. Gonzalo Nicola, dentist and Director (S) of the Center for Dental Specialties explains: “We are part of the Viña del Mar Quillota Health Service network, we are on the referral map. We serve the child population and SSVQ officials in the specialties of oral imaging, orthodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, covering the entire network of the Coastal Border and Marga Marga. Our main focus is the resolution of the waiting list, being a leading reference in this aspect.”
Dr. Gonzalo Nicola mentions some significant figures regarding care: “Last year, which was particular due to structural modifications in the establishment as a result of the pandemic, we began operating at 100% here in May. From May to December 2023, at the secondary level, 18,281 services were carried out, equivalent to 20% of the total carried out in the network according to the central statistical records of the Health Service, greatly impacting the fulfillment of dental goals. of the network”.
“The level of production of the establishment is significant, we have 11 chairs that operate full time, a minor surgery pavilion, a sterilization center and an imaging room equipped with cutting-edge technology, being the first of its kind nationwide”the professional highlights.
Commemorate the trajectory of the Pediatric Dentistry Center
40 years do not happen every day and the officials have wanted to commemorate this date with different activities together with the community of children and adolescents whom they have cared for throughout these years.
Inés Vásquez is a dental technician and has been working at the Center for 33 years.quite a life story. There are also other pioneering officials with 40 years of experience, such as María Lidia Valencia, dental assistant, and Lilian Pinto, dentist. “This date is very important for us. I started my first steps in my work here and obviously, one becomes familiar, one creates bonds with the staff, one feels grateful, because it is a gift to the children who need dental care the most. We have been growing over the years, specializing in the different dental specialties and it is very comforting to reach these 40 years with a history of life, in which more staff have also been added.”
“We did the decoration, with balloons, photos and we still need some details to finish, we had a painting made with all the officials. The same children and parents are sending us greetings in videos and we are organizing a contest, in which on June 28 we will hold the awards in a ceremony.”, says Inés Vásquez.
“For us it is very important to highlight that we are a family, we even continue to contact retired officials, the union we have had is very important. We are here now, each one in his clinic, functioning well, everything well organized, well planned, with specialties, with the resolution of the waiting list that is advancing. And there is also a bond of affection, affection and years”, the official highlights.
The Center not only celebrates four decades of service, but also stands out for its ongoing commitment to its users, its ability to adapt over time, and to deliver specialized and quality dental care.
 of the Viña del Mar Quillota Petorca Health Service){kind=link}