Uninsured seniors aged 87 and up can start applying for dental care this month under the Canadian government’s new Dental Care Plan.
On Monday, the government unveiled details from its Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), which aims to provide Canadians with greater access to oral health care. It is expected to assist up to nine million uninsured Canadian residents who have an annual family income of less than $90,000.
“We know that a third of the people living in Canada do not have dental insurance, and in 2022, one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional because of the cost. Access to oral health care should not be dependent on Canadians’ ability to pay,” a news release issued on Monday read.
READ MORE: $13B dental care plan for millions of uninsured Canadians included in new budget
The CDCP will slowly be released using a phased approach in the next coming months. The first group to receive the plan will be seniors.
Applications will open for seniors aged 87 and up this month and it will expand in phases to those aged 77 to 86 starting in January of next year. This will be followed by those aged 72 to 76 in Feb. 2024, then those aged 70 to 71 in Mar. 2024.
Eligible individuals in these age groups will receive letters inviting them to apply, with instructions on how to validate their eligibility and apply by telephone.
Then in May, applications will shift to an online portal and will open for eligible seniors 65 and older.
In June, individuals with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and children under the age of 18 will be able to apply online.
All remaining eligible Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 will be able to apply online starting in 2025.
Seniors who are enrolled in the CDCP can start seeing an oral health provider as early as May 2024. For all other age groups, the start date is yet to be determined but will be based on when each group can apply.
The government says the CDCP will cover a wide range of oral health care services, including “preventive care such as scaling (cleaning), polishing, as well as other services such as exams, x-rays, fillings, removable dentures, and root canal treatments.”
The CDCP will be administered by Health Canada in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada, through Service Canada and Sun Life.
Back in March, the $13-billion plan was first announced as part of the government’s 2023-24 fiscal budget. The New Democratic Party advocated for a new dental care program as part of their top priorities during the 2022 Supply and Confidence Agreement in partnership with the Liberal Party.
REACTION TO THE CANADIAN DENTAL CARE PLAN
In response to the announcement, the Canadian Dental Association says it supports the plan and will see through that it delivers barrier-free dental care.
“While this is an important first step in enhancing access to care for eligible seniors, our collective wish for the CDCP is to ensure that it delivers optimal and barrier-free oral health care. CDA will continue to work towards this end goal for our patients,” CDA President Dr. Heather Carr said in a statement on Monday.
On the other hand, experts at Canada’s Provincial and Territorial Dental Association say the plan was poorly developed and included limited involvement from practicing dentists. Despite the announcement, they say Canadians are still left with the following questions and the government has yet to provide a clear response.
- Will I be allowed to choose my own dentist?
- Will the plan replace my current work, school and/or group dental benefits?
- What will happen to any other public dental programs that I am already eligible for?
- Will the plan be easy to use or will there be needless administrative hurdles and red tape?
- What will I have to pay for my dental care?
For more information on the CDCP, visit Canada.ca/dental.
