Since it launched on May 1, the $13-billion Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) has received mixed reactions from the dental community.
The plan aims to provide dental care for low- and middle-income Canadians without private insurance and is expected to cover one in four Canadians by 2025.
While groups representing dental assistants, hygienists, and denturists have reported positive experiences, some dentists have expressed concerns.
In a CBC News report, the national associations for dental assistants, hygienists, and denturists said the specialists have “not encountered significant administrative issues” amid the plan’s complexity.
Kelly Mansfield, president of the Canadian Dental Assistants’ Association said: “We’re not seeing any issues.”
Health Canada reports that nearly 50% of all oral health providers, totalling 12,000 professionals, have registered for the CDCP. This group includes dentists, independently practicing hygienists, denturists, and dental specialists.
Although specific participation rates by profession were not disclosed, Sylvie Martel, director of dental hygiene practice at the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, noted that about 70% of eligible independent hygienists are participating.
“We embrace the program,” Martel said. “It’s not perfect, but it is helping so many vulnerable Canadians that have never stepped foot in a dental clinic before.”
However, dental associations have expressed concerns over the complexities that the program could bring, including additional time spent on administrative duties.
Jaro Wojcicki, president of the Denturist Association of Canada, reported a high participation rate among denturists, with 80% signing up.
Despite some additional administrative tasks, Wojcicki views the program positively, emphasizing quick reimbursements and patient satisfaction. He acknowledged that there are occasional issues when patients need referrals to dentists not participating in the CDCP.
“I really encourage providers to really do their own research, talk to their colleagues and really make an educated decision instead of just maybe relying on what the associations are saying,” he said.
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA), representing dentists, has voiced concerns about the program. Dr. Joel Antel, CDA president, noted that while Ottawa has made improvements to the program, individual dentists must decide whether to participate. The CDA also highlighted that dental offices spend considerable time explaining the program to patients.
Dr. Brandon Doucet, a Halifax dentist and founder of the Coalition for Dental Care, believes the CDCP is fair to dentists. It allows them to charge patients for costs not covered by the government. He emphasized the importance of dentist participation for the program’s success.
“This treats dentists very fairly, but there’s been a lot of misinformation being spread about the program in the dental community, so a lot of dentists don’t know that,” Doucet said.
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