in its current design. About 70% of dentists said they opposed the CDCP, based on the details that had been shared by the government to date. Over 40% of dentists said the main reason they were unlikely to participate in the CDCP was because the fee grids do not match PTDA suggested fee guides. On aggregate, the most common reason cited by dentists about their reluctance to participate in CDCP was the administrative burden that the program creates for dental offices. In early March, CDA sent a letter to Minister Holland, highlighting the results of this dentist survey and reiterated recommendations to help improve the CDCP. Among the input provided, CDA highlighted the need to reduce the administrative processes of CDCP not found in other dental plans, to allow patients the option to be reimbursed directly, removing the provider registration requirement with onerous terms and conditions, and ensuring that patients are fully covered for the full costs of oral health care to mitigate out-of-pocket expenses. “CDA is concerned with the continued signal of low provider participation, which will compromise the success of this plan. Without adequate participation by providers, eligible Canadians cannot receive the care they need,” wrote CDA President Dr. Heather Carr in a March 7 letter to Minister Holland. “The recommendations [we’ve] proposed would go a long way in improving the perceptions of the program among dentists…We hope that the federal government will consider the viewpoints of dentists in finding equitable solutions to these challenges.” On March 14, CDA and PTDAs met with Deputy Health Minister Stephen Lucas to discuss these CDCP recommendations. During the Pacific Dental Conference in Vancouver in early March, Minister Holland met with PTDAs and participated in a fireside chat with BCDA and CDA representatives and heard firsthand from an audience of dentists about their concerns with the CDCP. Meanwhile, Health Canada has established three working groups—Engagement and Communications, Preauthorization and Administrative Efficiencies, and Fee Setting—that brings together representatives from the dental professions to discuss and receive input on aspects of the CDCP’s design. The working groups started meeting in February, and CDA and PTDAs representatives are participating. 10 | 2024 | Issue 2
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