Dr. Heather Carr president@cda-adc.ca Fighting for the Future of Dentistry inCanada In December, I attended the announcement of the roll-out of the Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP) in Ottawa. At the event, Health Minister Mark Holland pledged that the CDCP would be fair to dentists. While I appreciated his promise, I want to see this reflected in the program details as they are released. CDA was there to represent the dental profession and remind the federal government that this initiative can only be successful if dentists can reasonably provide care for eligible patients. I fielded many questions from the media that day and in the following weeks, and each and every time I expressed our serious concerns with the program’s feasibility. Minister Holland arranged a follow-up meeting with me at my Halifax dental practice in January. It was hoped that a face-to-face discussion could resolve some of the outstanding issues raised by CDA and the united provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs). As part of a frank discussion, I explained what dentists need to ensure optimal oral health care for all Canadians, but also the concerns that could prevent dentists from participating in the CDCP. I told him that every dentist I knowwants to treat patients who do not have access to care, BUT not if it jeopardizes the sustainability of dentistry in Canada. I assured the minister that dentists want the CDCP to be a success. Although the federal government has consulted with CDA since the December 2023 announcement, the program was originally developed without incorporating many of CDA’s key recommendations. Their final program design must reflect the advice provided by CDA and the PTDAs to ensure it will help those patients who need it most. As CDA president and a practising dentist, I know it’s critical that the CDCP guarantees patient choice and respects the dentist-patient relationship. We need the CDCP to offer fair terms and reasonable processes. The administrative burden of participation must be easily managed. Over the past year, CDA, the PTDAs and other concerned dentists have been fighting for the future of dentistry in Canada. These efforts aren’t just for our contemporaries, but for new dentists, like my son, who are starting their careers with more educational debt than ever before. We are also working to protect the two-thirds of Canadians who currently receive excellent care and to help patients who need access to treatment from a robust oral health system. The issues continue to evolve rapidly and, at this time, there is still much unknown about the CDCP and how it will function, for patients and dentists. Soon, dentists will be invited by Sun Life, on behalf of the federal government, to participate in the program. Based on the limited CDCP public information, a survey was conducted with a sample of dentists across Canada, excluding Quebec. Nearly half of those surveyed said they needed more details to make an informed decision whether to participate in the CDCP. We heard very clearly from these dentists that to participate in the program, they need seamless connection to existing suggested fee guides, both in terms of procedures and customary fees. Let me share with you the same advice that I will give my son and colleagues about the CDCP as more details are released. Learn as much as possible about the program and encourage your fellow dentists to stay informed about it. Please take the time to carefully consider how participating in the program will affect your patients and practice not just this year, but into the future. There has never been a more critical time to stay informed and involved. From the President 7 Issue 1 | 2024 | CDA atWork
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