Dentists praise Canadian Dental Care program, but also express concern over influx of new patients

A northern Ontario dentist says the Canadian Dental Care Plan has generally been positive, but he worries it could cause issues meeting higher demand for dental care over the long term.

In June, eligible Canadians between the ages of 18 and 64 can start receiving dental coverage under the plan.

Dr. Thomas Detert, a dental surgeon based in Blind River, said the dental plan is bringing in patients who haven't been to a dentist's office in years.

"Some of them are like over 10 or 15 years because when they retired, they lost their benefits," he said.

In some cases, Detert said those patients had good oral hygiene habits and didn't need significant dental care. But in other cases, they put off going to the dentist until they were in serious pain, and needed significant work.

While the program has benefited those people, Detert said there's a risk demand for dental care could outstrip the ability of dentists and other oral health professionals to meet it.

"Much like our socialized medicine in Canada, without proper prevention and education, the demand [has] outstripped any amount of supply that can be thrown at it. And that's what I'm afraid of for socialized dentistry," he said. 

Around 3.6 million Canadians have been approved by the Canadian Dental Care Plan and around 1.9 million people received care through the plan, as of April.

Dr. Jerry Smith, a dentist from Thunder Bay, Ont., and the past president of the Ontario Dental Association, said another 4.5 million Canadians could qualify for the plan with the cohort of people between the ages of 18 and 64.

Smith agreed that the plan has been positive for people who might not be able to afford dental care otherwise.

But he worries a shortage of dental hygienists and assistants will make it challenging for dentists to properly serve an influx of new patients.

"In Ontario alone, there is a shortage of about 3,400 dental assistants and about 5,500 dental hygienists," he said.

Smith said it would have helped had the plan's rollout been slower, to allow more time to address the gap in dental care workers.