I was dismayed by the inaccurate claims made by Adriana LaGrange in her July 12 article, “Why Alberta is opting out of the federal dental plan.” Ms. LaGrange suggests that all Albertans already have dental coverage, making a federal program unnecessary. This is simply not true.
My husband and I are seniors without dental coverage, mainly due to the high cost of insurance. We do not have private, work-related, or social assistance plans, so we pay for dental services entirely out of pocket. Like many Albertans who signed up for the federal program, we have no access to an “Alberta dental plan.” The provincial government should not interfere with federal programs designed to help Albertans who don’t fit Ms. LaGrange’s narrow view. Such interference only discourages dentists from participating in these plans. The government should stop obstructing these essential programs.