February 12, 2024 – Ottawa, ON: The Government of Canada announced the roll-out of the 13-billion-dollar Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP).
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) has long advocated for targeted investments to improve oral health care in Canada for individuals facing barriers to access to care. The federal government’s funding commitment through CDCP has the potential to dramatically improve oral health access for Canadians, particularly for vulnerable populations.
On January 31st, Health Minister Mark Holland reiterated his commitment that the CDCP would be fair to dentists, saying "I feel very confident that we will have something there that is fair to both patients and dentists." The federal government has work to do for that pledge to come true.
Over the past two years, CDA has been representing patients and the dental profession in conversations with Health Canada. CDA and the Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations’ (PTDAs) provided information on what is needed to ensure optimal oral health care for all Canadians. We have shared critical recommendations that will improve CDCP and enhance provider participation. The CDA has been clear that CDCP will only be successful if dentists provide care for eligible patients. The dentists I know want to treat patients who need access to care, but the CDCP must not impact the oral health care system by eroding the excellent care two-thirds of Canadians receive.
Dentists across the country want the CDCP to be a success. Although the federal government has consulted with CDA since the announcement, the program has not incorporated several of CDA’s key policy recommendations, such as: ensuring that administrative procedures do not impact or delay the provision of care to patients; and ensuring the cost of treatment provided to patients is fully covered. CDA’s complete policy recommendations are outlined in our 2023 policy paper Bridging the Financial Gap in Dental Care.
The first six months of the program will be limited in its coverage. Many routine treatments will not be available to seniors who need this care the most. Health Canada needs to be clear with patients and providers regarding which services will be covered to avoid confusion.
Canadians should be aware the CDCP does not provide free dental care. Currently, the costs for oral health care under the CDCP for patients are unclear; however, the government has set a fee schedule less than usual and customary provincial and territorial fee guides. Canadians will not be 100% covered for their treatments and in many cases, will be required to pay out-of-pocket for a portion of their treatment.
Canadians should be able to choose their preferred oral health care provider. Unlike traditional benefit plans, providers must sign up to the CDCP to treat patients. This is unique to the CDCP and is not a requirement for nearly all public or private plans in Canada. CDCP patients deserve a simple program that will not create unnecessary barriers to access. When surveyed, nearly half of dentists (excluding Quebec) said they needed more details to make an informed decision about whether to participate in the program. It is anticipated very few dentists will want to commit to any program that does not provide clear terms and conditions. What are CDCP patients supposed to do if their preferred provider does not participate? CDCP patients deserve the same options as Canadians with private insurance, who have access to any dentist who is accepting new patients. As CDA president and a practicing dentist, I know it’s critical that the CDCP respects existing dentist-patient relationship and fosters development of new patient-dentist relationships with underserved Canadians. It is vital that participation in the CDCP is simple for providers and patients.
My recommendation for patients is to become fully informed about the CDCP and to ask their dental office if they are planning to participate. Patients are also encouraged to carefully consider the impact of dropping their current dental insurance. Dropping existing coverage will render them ineligible for CDCP.
The CDCP represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to make significant improvement to the oral health outcomes for millions of Canadians. Given such a complex and challenging program to implement, we acknowledge Minister Holland’s commitment to continue to improve the plan right up to and after launch. However, the federal government must get it right by empowering dentists to focus on what they do best - caring for their patient’s oral health.
This op-ed was written by CDA President, Dr. Heather Carr, and published in February 2024.
