One in four Canadians avoid dentist due to cost: StatCan report

We speak with the president of the NS Dental Association about people avoiding the dentist due to cost concerns.

A recent report by Statistics Canada indicates many Canadians are avoiding oral health-care services due to the cost.

StatCan data says nearly one in four, or 24 per cent, Canadians aged 12 and older avoided a visit to the dentist in the last year, citing the cost.

While the data is concerning, Dr. Claire Karst, president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association, says the majority of dentists would not be surprised.

“It’s the rising cost of living that potentially is creating the financial barrier, or increasing the financial barrier, when it comes to out-of-pocket payments,” said Karst during an interview on CTV Atlantic Morning Live on Wednesday.

“And of course this transfers then to decreased access to necessary procedures in order to care for your oral health.”

Oral health is very much connected to the overall health of people’s bodies, which is why Karst says it is important to visit a dentist on a regular basis.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan was designed by government to make the cost of dental care more affordable for eligible residents.

Some of the qualifications to apply for the plan include:

- be aged 65 and older or under the age of 18

- not have access to dental insurance

- have filed tax returns in Canada so that family income can be assessed for the previous years. This includes the applicant’s spouse or common-law-partner

- have an adjusted family net income less than $90,000

- be a Canadian resident

“The Canadian Dental Plan, which opened up in March, we consider it to be an important step forward in addressing the access to care issues across Canada,” Karst said.

Aside from the costs, some Canadians avoid the dentist for other reasons, including nervousness or anxiety about dental procedures.

“I think every practising dentist has a cohort of people that are very nervous going to the dentist and it’s important for that patient to communicate that to their dental team because we can provide assistance,” she said.

“It can be in the form of sedation, it can be in the form of breathing exercises, so I think communication is the key for individuals to remember that we’re here to help and we can get over this together.”