Health minister says program is still "a work in progress"
Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel has announced that the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will not face any cuts in their budget, according to BNN Bloomberg.
During an event in Ottawa, Michel stated that the national dental care plan has recorded the enrolment and approval of more than five million Canadians to receive coverage.
“People have their little card in their hands, and they will reach out to the dentist when they need. So, I feel to have people enrolled in the program is key for them to have the opportunity to go,” said Michel.
Michel also said that the program will be facing no reductions in funding, noting that it was one of the commitments made by the government upon winning the election last April.
In May 2024, the government first started accepting claims for dental coverage for seniors. Last May, the expansion for eligibility concluded, which now included Canadians between the ages of 18 and 64. Following the inclusion of low-income and uninsured Canadians of all ages, around 5.2 million applicants have been approved.
Despite the government targeting to reach 8 million Canadians at the launch of the program, only 2.8 million of the 5.2 million applicants have received dental care. Notably, the program subsidizes the cost of dental care for Canadians that had a family net income that was below $90,000 if they don’t have a private insurance plan, according to CBC.
Dental care providers were initially hesitant to take part in the program, but now Health Canada reported that 98% of active dentists, dental hygienists, denturists, and dental specialists in the country have joined.
With Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget set to be released on Nov. 4, the Liberal election platform had promised to protect public problems such as child care, pharmacare, and dental care from seeing cuts in their funding.
When asked regarding the possibility of a federal pharmacare program, Michel said that Liberals agreed with the concept “in principle,” however it was still a difficult topic to approach.
“The context right now is very difficult, financially, for every government,” said Michel.
The CDCP currently covers the cost of dental procedures such as cleanings, fillings, dentures, and surgical removals.
