Since opening for eligible seniors in early May, the Canadian Dental Care Plan has seen a surge in the number of claims made. This is a positive sign, and shows the plan is popular. However, there have been concerns over the state of the oral health of many people seeking treatment. Therefore, this suggests that there are many people across Canada in desperate need of urgent oral health treatment.
The Canadian Federal Government has announced that 46,000 claims have been processed under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) to date [1].
This announcement underlines the popularity of the CDCP, which is helping many people with their oral health.
While this news is positive, many stories have recently emerged regarding the urgent care that some who have accessed the plan have needed. This shows that unfortunately, many people are not accessing regular dental care. Instead, many seem to be waiting to become eligible for the CDCP – a decision which can cause a huge range of problems.
The Latest Figures
The CDCP became available for eligible senior citizens on 1st May. Those aged 70 and over are eligible to receive the CDCP now, while those aged 65 and over can now register ahead of the next phase of the rollout [1].
Over the forthcoming months, more and more people will become eligible for the plan. Eventually, all citizens from low- and medium-income families will become eligible for the plan.
Since the 1st May opening for seniors, there have been a flurry of claims made. In fact, there have been over 46,000 claims made [1]. These positive figures suggest that the dental plan will be very popular.
Almost 9,000 oral healthcare providers have signed up to provide care under the CDCP [1]. This number has risen substantially since last month, with more and more oral healthcare providers starting to provide services.
Experiences of Dr. Melvin Lee
Dr. Melvin Lee is a dentist based in Ottawa. Lee has spoken of his experience with the plan so far, as well as his concerns about the state of some of his patients’ oral health [1].
Lee has been alarmed at some of his patients. He notes that some of the patients he’s seen don’t “just have dental emergencies, but borderline medical emergencies” [1].
Perhaps more worryingly, Lee says that he hasn’t “seen patients in this condition” since he did “overseas mission dentistry work in Haiti and Peru” [1].
Therefore, his words suggest that some Canadians have poor oral health to the extent which is normally associated with poorer or third world countries, rather than Canada.
Lee has treated about 20 seniors since 1st May through the CDCP. He said that the first patient he saw was a man that hadn’t been to the dentist in five years due to the cost [1].
Moreover, the dentist said that most of those 20 seniors have had very poor oral health which has needed extensive dental work performed. For many, they have delayed getting help for too long, meaning tooth extractions may be needed.
Leaving oral health problems untreated can be very damaging. These problems will only worsen over time, resulting in further treatment being required in the long term.
Lee’s concerns are very valid, and shows that many Canadians are in desperate need of oral health treatment. However, Lee did commend the rollout of the CDCP, lauding it as being “seamless” [1].
Summary
As with most elements of the CDCP, there are both positives and negatives. Progress continues to be made, but problems remain.
The uptake of the plan has certainly been positive. But with dentists discovering that poor oral health is commonplace, it suggests that many people are in desperate need of oral health treatment. Unfortunately, many appear to be waiting for the CDCP to loosen its eligibility criteria.
For those with oral health problems, seeking treatment soon is crucial. This can help with their overall health, and improve their quality of life significantly.
Thinking points…
1) As has been alluded to in the above article, there are so many people across Canada that are in desperate need of oral health treatment. It isn’t a good idea to avoid visiting the dentist, as problems will only worsen if not treated. Equally, waiting for the CDCP isn’t advisable. Remember to attend dental appointments at least once every six months. We recommend that you book an appointment now!
2) Further to the above, if you are in need of a dentist, then it is good to know that here at our Calgary-based dental Clinic Savanna Dental, we are accepting new patients! We would love to assist you and your family with your dental needs. If you want to find out more about us, then please see our website at the following link – https://savannadentalclinic.ca. We hope to see you soon!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!
References
[1] von Stackelberg, M. (2024). Broken teeth and infected gums: 46K claims filed so far with Canadian Dental Care Plan. Available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-dental-care-plan-claims-processed-1.7200738. Last accessed: 16th May 2024.
