Dentists could be under pressure with the introduction of the national dental care program.
The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is warning of the need for provincial support as part of a submission to the pre-budget hearings taking place across the province.
Dr. Christina Heidinger, the chair of the ODA’s political action committee, says the profession is already suffering from a shortage of dental hygienists and dental assistants.
“Budget 2024 can also help to alleviate this shortage by reducing unnecessary barriers to care. For example, policy changes can be made to streamline the process for out-of-province dental hygienists and dental assistants to practice in Ontario. There are also opportunities to reduce red tape and eliminate regulatory barriers that make it needlessly difficult for dental assistants to be certified,” says Dr. Heidinger.
The Ontario Dental Association also calls for more funding to maintain public dental programs.
“Ontario government’s public dental programs, including Healthy Smiles, the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program, ODSP, and the Ontario Works, are chronically unoffended, significantly impacting the accessibility of necessary oral health care,” says Dr. Heidinger.
She says at $4.99 per person, Ontario spends the lowest per capita on oral health care among other provinces.
She adds there has been a steady erosion for the past fifteen years of the payments provided to dentists to offer the provincial programs.
Dentists now receive about 34 per cent of the cost.
“Children from low-income families, seniors and individuals with disabilities are suffering from this inequity. As dentists, we are committed to our patients and our communities. We are asking for your help to significantly improve care for those who rely on provincial dental programs.”
