Dentists across Canada have been left frustrated about the Canadian Federal Dental Plan. There are a few reasons behind the frustration. However, the main concern is how politicians are giving the wrong impression about the plan, with many senior citizens believing all care is free. The frustrations have led to some dentists to threaten to turn away from the program.
Dentists across Canada are voicing their frustrations over some elements of the Canadian Federal Dental Plan, with some suggesting they will turn away from the program [1].
There are several sources of this frustration. The federal government have sought to clarify their position on some factors in an effort to ease concerns.
Background
After a significant period of waiting, the Canadian Dental Plan finally launched towards the end of 2023 [2]. It will be rolled out gradually, with eligible older citizens being the first group to be the recipients of the plan. This will be in May.
Dental costs in Canada have acted as a barrier for many people in the past. For example, in 2022, approximately 25% of Canadians reported that they avoided seeing a dentist due to cost [2]. Moreover, around a third of Canadians do not have dental insurance.
Therefore, the idea of having a dental plan to help those in need of oral care was received positively by the public. The plan will help those with an annual family income of less than $90,000 [2]. The federal government has put aside $13 billion to fund the plan.
However, while the federal government have consulted dentists regarding the plan, there are many concerns among oral health professionals and organizations.
Why are oral health professionals frustrated?
There are many sources of frustration for oral health professionals. Some of the most vocal signs of discontent has come from the Dental Association of Prince Edward Island (PEI) [1].
The association’s main concern is the belief that federal politicians are giving seniors the impression that the program means free dental care – although this isn’t the case [1].
Executive director Brian Barrett summed up the feeling of the association. He said that “when the Prime Minister or the minister of health or [Jagmeet] Singh (NDP leader) stands up and tells seniors that you are now eligible to apply for this plan and your treatment will be free, that causes a major problem for all dental offices” [1].
The belief is that the federal government are making it sound like everyone is entitled to free dental care. But as discussed above, those with household incomes over $90,000 are not eligible for the plan [1].
But even those that are eligible do not receive “free” dental care. When the government pays for a dental procedure under the plan, this acts as a fee-for-service rate that is set by the government [1].
However, Barrett points out that these rates do not match the fees charged by dental offices, making it difficult for dentists to successfully implement the plan in their clinic [1].
Barrett said that they have “no idea” where the government got the numbers. Furthermore, he has said that the numbers “have no relationship at all to the annual fee guides that we publish” [1].
In a normal case, insurance companies would pay a percentage of a procedure’s provincial fee guide. However, this is not the same with the federal program. In fact, Barrett pointed out that many of the fees are close to 90% of what dentists are charging [1].
What impact is this having on dental clinics?
The impact of the unwittingly erroneous information being handed out is being felt significantly by dental clinics.
Many seniors are contacting dental clinics to arrange appointments, but are being told that they will need to pay. This is at odds with the impression they have received from the government.
Barrett has said that administrative staff are struggling with increased workloads, and that there is a shortage of staff across dental clinics [1]. These problems are likely to impact the welfare of staff members.
Moreover, these problems have come at a time where the plan’s rollout is still a few weeks away. Therefore, the problems are likely to worsen as we get closer to May.
Aside from administrative staff, dentists too are being impacted. For example, the association carried out a survey on its members, with 32 of the 36 respondents saying that they would not sign up for the plan [1]. Therefore, this underlines the disappointment that dentists are feeling.
Additionally, Mary Boyd, who also works at the association, has argued that the dental plan should have been changed to suit the wider Canadian population [1].
Boyd says that by spending an extra $1 billion dollars would result in a universal dental plan that could provide support for all Canadians [1]. The current plan has been labelled as “a partial program” by Boyd.
How have the government responded?
The government clearly have many concerns to tackle. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said that Health Minister Mark Holland has never said the program is free [1].
Moreover, the spokesperson said that information published online clearly shows who is eligible for the plan and other relevant information [1].
The spokesperson also responded to the concerns over the fee rates not yet being confirmed. The spokesperson said that consultations on the fees are continuing [1].
As well as this concern, there is also a lack of information on how the federal program and existing provincial programs will co-exist. This is another source of frustration.
There are certainly still many challenges in place, with the rollout just weeks away. Hopefully these concerns will be fixed so that patients can receive excellent oral healthcare.
Thinking points…
1) With the impending rollout of the plan, some people are trying to wait until they become eligible for the plan before next going to the dentist. But this is unwise, as problems will worsen over time and become more damaging. Therefore, we recommend that you attend a dental clinic soon for a check-up. This will help to keep your oral health strong. We recommend that you book an appointment now!
2) As discussed earlier, some people find that dental fees are a barrier to receiving dental care. However, here at Savanna Dental, our prices are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This ensures that our fees are transparent, reliable, and trustworthy! To find out more about us and to book an appointment, you can visit our website: https://savannadentalclinic.ca/.
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[TM]! 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] Yarr, K. (2024). ‘It’s not free’: P.E.I. dentists frustrated with federal dental plan. Available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-canada-dental-care-plan-frustration-1.7156721. Last accessed: 30th March 2024.
[2] Health Canada. (2024). Government of Canada announces the services covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2024/02/government-of-canada-announces-the-services-covered-under-the-canadian-dental-care-plan.html. Last accessed: 30th March 2024.
