Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 5

I n April, when the federal government tabled the 2022 budget that included proposed funding of $5.3 billion to provide dental care for low-income Canadians, CDA began a series of virtual consultations. These forums were an opportunity to gather insights and expertise from dentists and others in oral health about what the federal government should consider as it develops a plan to increase access to dental care for some groups. In September, CDA released a report called What We Heard that summarizes the ideas and opinions that arose during the virtual consultations. The report reflects the views of a cross section of dentists and other stakeholders, but is not CDA’s official position on the topic. CDA is currently developing a formal policy framework to recommend to the federal government as it moves forward in designing and delivering enhancements in access to dental care. People CDA spoke with during the virtual consultations said that one of the most urgent gaps in existing public dental care programs is a lack of coverage for low-income adults and expressed concern about whether there will be enough funding for this group after the initial phases of the proposed program targeted at children, seniors, and those with disabilities. Consultation participants talked about how appropriate remuneration for dental services in line with provincial and What We Heard Report Dentists and other oral health stakeholders shared their thoughts and opinions with CDA on the proposed federal investment in dental care territorial fee guides is a very significant factor impacting the uptake of publicly funded dental programs and improving access to oral health care. They suggested that inadequate reimbursement will lead to a widening, two-tiered oral health care delivery system. Many people also spoke about the importance of ensuring that the existing system of employer-sponsored dental benefit plans, which has worked well for decades in Canada, remains intact. Policy mechanisms should be in place prior to the implementation of any new programming to avoid reductions in employer-sponsored dental coverage, which will result in significant impacts on access to dental care for Canadians and on the viability of dental practices. Patient eligibility for public plans need to be administered equitably and efficiently. The mechanism for determining Appropriate remuneration for dental services in line with provincial and territorial fee guides is a very significant factor impacting the uptake of publicly fundeddental programs and improving access to oral health care. 9 Issue 5 | 2022 |