Canadian Dental Association concerned about ‘gaps’ in national program

First at five we look at why the Canadian Dental Association says urgent action is required.

The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is voicing concerns over what it calls gaps in the national dental program.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) was launched in December 2023 to allow uninsured people who face financial barriers access to care.

The association says there are gaps in the plan that are “compromising the ability of dentists to provide timely and effective care to patients.”

It says there could be the unintended erosion of employer-sponsored dental plans where employers drop dental benefits for employees who would qualify for the CDCP.

“This expectation by our patients that this is free coverage, that whatever they want is covered and it’s not going to cost them any money, I think early messaging about the CDCP kind of gave that idea,” said Caleb Porter with the Nova Scotia Dental Association.

It also cited high rates of denials for complex treatments, long wait times for care, patient confusion and workforce challenges in dental offices as areas of concern.

“Initially people were getting denials across the board with little to no explanation why these treatments were being denied and sometimes it was taking months to hear back,” said Porter.

Shannon Julian is on social assistance and lives with a disability. She’s covered for basic cleaning, but says anything beyond that adds up.

“You have to pay and it’s… not good because some people can’t afford to pay themselves to get their teeth cleaned,” said Julian.

The CDA is urging the federal government to work closely with dental professionals to address the issues.

The association recommends:

• streamlining the pre-authorization process
• improving public communication
• protect access to existing employer-sponsored dental benefits

“Every patient deserves access to essential dental care. The CDCP is a historic and meaningful investment in oral healthcare and to ensure its success, the program must be sustainable in the long-term,” reads a Tuesday news release from the association.

“We are committed to working with the federal government to help address gaps and improve the CDCP so that it has a meaningful impact on the oral and overall health of patients.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Hafsa Arif.