The $13-billion Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), launched on May 1, has stirred varied responses within the dental profession.
The plan’s objective is to provide dental care to low- and middle-income Canadians lacking private insurance, aiming to cover one in four Canadians by 2025.
While groups representing dental assistants, hygienists, and denturists have reported positive experiences with minimal administrative issues, concerns have been voiced by some dentists.
According to a CBC News report, national associations for dental assistants, hygienists, and denturists have indicated smooth implementation despite the plan’s complexity. Kelly Mansfield, president of the Canadian Dental Assistants’ Association, stated, “We’re not seeing any issues.”
Health Canada reports that nearly 12,000 oral health providers, including dentists, independent hygienists, denturists, and dental specialists, representing nearly 50% of all providers, have enrolled in the CDCP.
While specific participation rates by profession were not disclosed, Sylvie Martel, director of dental hygiene practice at the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, noted that about 70% of eligible independent hygienists are participating.
“We embrace the program,” Martel said. “It’s not perfect, but it is helping so many vulnerable Canadians that have never stepped foot in a dental clinic before.”
Despite overall positive reception among dental assistants, hygienists, and denturists, dental associations have expressed concerns about potential administrative complexities associated with the program.
Jaro Wojcicki, president of the Denturist Association of Canada, reported an 80% participation rate among denturists. He highlighted quick reimbursements and patient satisfaction while acknowledging occasional challenges related to referrals to dentists not enrolled in the CDCP.
Dr. Joel Antel, president of the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), representing dentists, noted improvements made by Ottawa to the program but highlighted concerns about the additional time dental offices spend explaining the program to patients.
Dr. Brandon Doucet, a Halifax dentist and founder of the Coalition for Dental Care, views the CDCP positively for its fairness to dentists, allowing them to charge patients for uncovered costs. He emphasized the importance of dentist participation for the program’s success.
“This treats dentists very fairly, but there’s been a lot of misinformation being spread about the program in the dental community, so a lot of dentists don’t know that,” Doucet said.