More than 70 per cent of dentists are now accepting patients through Canada’s new public dental insurance program — a significant increase over the 50 per cent participation rate reported a month ago.
The federal government attributes the higher uptake to changes it introduced on July 8 that allow dental clinics to submit claims without officially registering as providers of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).
The changes permit dentists, denturists and independent hygienists to perform work on patients covered by the CDCP and to be reimbursed by Ottawa on a case-by-case basis.
Health Minister Mark Holland said more than 6,500 oral health-care providers have chosen to take part in the plan since Ottawa changed the rules last month.
“We’ve been absolutely blown away by the participation,” Holland told CBC News on Tuesday.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says he’s ‘very convinced’ that almost all oral health-care providers will be participating in the Canadian Dental Care Plan within the next several months. Health Canada announced Wednesday that almost 450,000 Canadians have received dental care through the new federal program since it began on May 1.
As of today, 16,612 dentists, 1,746 denturists and 857 independent dental hygienists are accepting CDCP patients. That’s more than 19,000 oral health-care providers out of what Health Canada estimates is a potential pool of 25,170.
Holland said more than 75 per cent of all eligible oral health-care professionals are participating, while dentists are taking part at a slightly lower rate of more than 70 per cent.
“We’re working with the associations to make sure that we answer every hygienist, denturist and dentist question, that we work on any obstacles that we have. We’re not stopping until we get to 100 per cent,” Holland told a press conference at an Ottawa dental clinic Wednesday.
The number of dental clinics signing up was low when the program was launched, prompting concerns about its ability to meet patient demand.
Dental associations initially took issue with the paperwork and contracts Ottawa required them to complete in order to register. In response, Ottawa offered clinics the option of accepting patients on a case-by-case basis, allowing them to keep current patients who otherwise would need to seek out clinics registered with the program.
Holland has pitched the option as a way for dentists to try the program out before signing on fully. He also has assured dentists that submitting claims on a case-by-case basis will be a permanent option going forward.
450,000 treated in first 3 months of program
The Canadian Dental Association said Tuesday it wants the CDCP to succeed.
“The federal government has addressed some immediate and short-term concerns, and we are committed to continuing our work with them to further enhance the CDCP for the future,” a statement from the association said.
The dental association said each dentist must decide whether they want to participate, based on what is best for their practice and patients.
“Changes through our continued advocacy have increased the comfort level of many dentists to participate in the plan,” the statement said.
The CDCP is a massive expansion of Canada’s universal health-care system. It’s expected to cost taxpayers $13 billion over the next five years and to eventually cover one in four low- and middle-income Canadians who don’t have access to private dental insurance plans.
Right now, applications for the CDCP are open to seniors, children under the age of 18 and people who receive the federal disability tax credit. Applications for the rest of the eligible population will open in January 2025.
Health Canada said 450,000 Canadians have received dental care through the program since it began providing care on May 1.
Conservatives call dental plan ‘botched’, health minister ‘wacko’
Conservative health critic Stephen Ellis declined CBC’s request for an interview about the dental plan.
In a statement provided by a party spokesperson, Ellis wrote that the Liberal government has “botched” the program from the start.
“While the vast majority of Canadians don’t even qualify for this program, those who do may still have to pay out of pocket,” the statement reads. (The program only covers some costs for Canadian households that make between $70,000 and $90,000 and allows clinics to bill patients additional costs the plan doesn’t cover.)
“This disastrous dental ‘plan’ is riddled with chaos, backlogs, red tape, and higher costs, and the Liberals as always expect Canadians to thank them for it,” the Conservative statement reads.
“Their wacko Minister of Health is trying to distract from their disaster by telling Canadians they never had it so good.”
Conservatives say the federal dental plan is confusing — the health minister says that’s ‘rich’ coming from them, saying any ‘chaos’ around the program comes from the Tories.
Holland called the Conservative criticism “rich.”
“It’s a little rich to me that the Conservatives’ chief argument against this program is [that] there’s confusion and misinformation, when they are the originators in chief of that misinformation,” he said.
“If their health critic wants to debate with me on the merits of how confusing it is, [he’s] welcome. You won’t find him doing it.
“I defy you to find the providers who are using the program that are having problems with the program. But I can find Conservatives who are desperate for it to not work.”
Do you have questions about how Canada’s new dental care plan may affect you? Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.