Health Minister Proposes Dental-Care Reforms to Gain Dentists’ Support

Health Minister Mark Holland is announcing adjustments to Ottawa’s new dental-care plan to encourage more dentists, hygienists, and oral-health care providers to participate.

Dental and hygienists associations report that their members have been slow to register to provide care under the new federal program, despite 1.7 million low- and middle-income seniors already enrolling.

Concerns cited include reimbursement rates for services and the administrative burden on their staff that the program may entail.

The Liberals mention that 5,000 dental-care providers, including dentists, hygienists, and denturists, have enrolled to date.

Mr. Holland states that following further consultations, providers will now have the option to bill for services on a claim-by-claim basis without committing to the program.

Mr. Holland believes that these changes will significantly increase the number of dentists willing to provide care to patients in the program.

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