Perhaps things are looking up when it comes to health care in this community.
Dr. Shilin Shieh held an open house party for the formal opening of his dentist practice on County Road 124 a stone’s throw from Erin’s main street, and dozens of people from across the community stopped by to welcome him to the community.
Dr. Shieh said in an interview that he already has a practice in Mississauga since 1987, and he lives in Georgetown. He added that he has been looking to open another office and he did not have to look far to find the perfect location.
“I live in Georgetown,” he said Saturday afternoon as people poured through the doors he shares with Chiropractor and acupuncturist David Sherrington.
Shieh said, “I had been looking around Georgetown for the past few years.”
Nothing seemed available there, and then his realtor suggested Erin – and that decided it. Dr Shieh and his family are no strangers to the Erin community. “We come up in the fall for the fair,” he said with a smile. “We like the area.”
Shieh will be operating the dentistry practice Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and he said he is trying to find someone who can take over the other days so the practice becomes a full time one.
But Dr. Shieh was just as much interested in talking about the community as he was his practice.
He said when he first saw Erin “I fell in love with the place.”
After some investigation, he learned about the shortage of doctors and figures that every health practitioner that comes to the community will help attract more. In fact, he is taking over space that was once used by a doctor who is now retired.
Erin Mayor Rod Finnie had a busy day, and noted that he had helped to officially open a dental hygienist practice in the town earlier in the day.
“I’m always happy when a new business opens in the community. It’s like a flower blooming in the garden,” he said. And, he said of the community, “There’s a lot of opportunity here for people willing to work hard.”
Finnie is optimistic that other steps the community is taking will help alleviate the doctor shortage.
He noted that the Family Health Team has just issued a request for proposals for a 9,000 square foot building to attract medical personnel.
