November 24, 2025 – Ottawa, ON: On November 24 and 25, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) will hold its annual Days on the Hill—a key advocacy event focused on advancing policies to improve oral health for all people in Canada. Led by Dr. Bruce Ward, CDA president, the delegation will meet with members of parliament, senators, and other government officials on Parliament Hill to discuss pressing oral health issues, including oral health workforce challenges, the training of new dentists, and ensuring that the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) meets the needs of patients.
“Across Canada, dental offices are struggling to recruit and retain enough dental assistants and dental hygienists to meet patient demand,” says Dr. Ward. “In 2023 alone, more than 7,200 dental staff positions went unfilled, and 4 out of 5 dental offices reported staffing challenges. That’s why CDA is urging action like expanding student loan forgiveness, enabling postgraduate work permits for dental assistants, making it easier for oral health professionals to relocate where they’re needed, and investing in better national workforce data.”
CDA is pleased to partner with the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC) in some of their engagements to highlight oral health on Parliament Hill. Representatives from the CDA and the RCDC will set up their booths in the Wellington Building to feature their respective insights into their activities that promote and support oral health in Canada, an essential component of overall health, and, for the RCDC, operational readiness. The RCDC’s participation will emphasize their main operational engagements and the intricate connection between oral and physical health, underscoring the importance of dental care in supporting Canada’s national defense and well-being.
Each year, CDA conducts its Days on the Hill event to inform key decision-makers about matters that directly affect dentistry and the oral health of the Canadian population. This year, in addition to workforce challenges, the focus is on the unintended consequences of the CDCP. Dental students are finding it harder to gain clinical experience because fewer patients are visiting dental school clinics, and CDCP preauthorization requirements are creating additional barriers. Low approval rates for CDCP preauthorization are leaving dental students without enough clinical cases to build core competencies, putting timely graduation, and the future supply of dentists, at risk.
"We’re asking the federal government to create a dedicated, fast-track preauthorization stream for our dental schools, and to support CDCP patient care in teaching clinics,” says Dr. Ward. “That way, dental schools can keep serving patients who need care now, while making sure students get the hands-on experience they need to graduate, ready to care for patients with diverse needs.”
CDA will also highlight the challenges CDCP patients themselves are experiencing such as frustration with treatments being denied and misunderstandings about costs. Many patients expect free care, yet depending on their household income, co-payments can reach 40–60%, and the federal fee schedule often falls short of covering actual treatment costs. Combined with high denial rates for preauthorization, these issues are limiting access to care and undermining the program’s promise.
“There are practical solutions to these challenges,” says Dr. Ward. “Streamlining preauthorization with clearer criteria and fewer system errors would improve patient care. Better government communication is also critical, to help patients understand coverage and costs. Ultimately, these changes aren’t just about fixing administrative issues—they’re about making sure patients get timely care. If the CDCP works better, it will improve oral health outcomes for people across the country.”
About the Canadian Dental Association
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is a trusted national voice for dentists and leader working to improve the oral health of all people living in Canada. We promote oral health, support our members, and advance the dental profession. Founded in 1902, CDA has no regulatory role and is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization whose corporate members are Canada’s provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs). We represent over 21,000 practising dentists nationwide and are a trusted brand and source of information about oral health and the dental profession on national and international issues.
Media Contact:
Jeff D’Andrea
Media Relations Specialist
Canadian Dental Association
613-523-7963
media@cda-adc.ca
