Just over a month after Inuvik Dental Clinic鈥檚 much anticipated re-opening, the lone clinic in Inuvik has shut down.

A message on the clinic鈥檚 answering service says the clinic is closed 鈥渦ntil further notice鈥� and apologizes for the inconvenience. It advises people with emergencies to visit the hospital.

To be able to arrange a medical travel flight to Yellowknife for dental services, Inuvialuit and Gwich鈥檌n residents are advised to get a referral through the Non-Insured Health Benefits at the Public Health Building on Veteran鈥檚 Way. Others will need to rely on extended coverage.

The co-owner of the clinic, Viktor Dorokhine, is also the principal of the Hay River Dental Clinic. He has sat on the Canadian Dental Association鈥檚 board of directors as a representative for the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.

黑料吃瓜网 has reached out to both the Western Arctic Dental Group and the Hay River Dental Clinic to connect with Dorokhine.

Health Minister Lesa Semmler told 黑料吃瓜网 a new Extended Health Benefits program which would cover medical travel for dental is expected to come online in September and will be open to anyone who lives in the NWT and is not able to access NIHB or Metis Health benefits. The program will begin taking applications in June.