March 22, 2022
Oral health is a vital part of overall health, and all Canadians have a right to good oral health. We support efforts to improve access to dental care for those who need it most, such as seniors, children, those with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized Canadians, and low-income families.
The single best way to quickly improve oral health and increase access to dental care is to invest in, and enhance, existing provincial and territorial dental programs. These programs are significantly underfunded and are almost exclusively financed by provincial and territorial governments.
We are surprised by today’s announcement that the federal government is considering a new, large-scale, federal dental program. It will be important to ensure that any new initiatives do not disrupt access to dental care for the large majority of Canadians who already have dental coverage through employer-provided health benefits. We look forward to collaborating closely with the federal government as it works to address the oral health needs of Canadians.
