(l to r) Dr. Bruce Ward, Dr. Aaron Burry, Lucas Veiga, Duncan Barter, Clarissa Schurter, Mishail Bhatia This year, those issues were shaped by a federal political landscape with many new faces in Cabinet positions. With a wave of newly elected MPs on the Hill, CDA’s conversations also focused on advocating for policy solutions and sharing information about oral health. “The Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP) is a new program, and many MPs are unfamiliar about how it works—who it serves, what the rules are. A lot of what we did this year was to educate officials and share information with them that they’ll need to share with their constituents,” says Dr. Ward. The Larger Dental Community “The booth in one of the main buildings on Parliament Hill was intended to attract attention and stimulate discussion,” Dr. Ward says. “It was designed to do what formal meetings can’t: create quick, informal conversations that catch MPs and their staff in the flow of their day.” Positioned in a high-traffic area, the booth gave CDA a visible presence where people could ask questions and discuss ideas, sometimes as a follow-up to meetings and sometimes as a first point of contact. “It was great to share the booth with the RCDC,” says Dr. Kirk Preston, CDA president-elect. “We were privileged to meet the Canadian Armed Forces’ Chief Dental Officer, Colonel Geneviève Bussière, and three other members of the corps, Major Monique Merino and Major Aaron Jolivet (Dental Officers), and Master Warrant Officer Martine Leboeuf (Dental Technician). Having them alongside the CDA added credibility to the conversations: broadening the story from ‘dentists advocating for dentistry’ to a wider picture of oral health as a national issue, that also matters to operational readiness and the people who serve our country. It also helped reinforce the idea that dentistry intersects with public service,” says Dr. Preston. Dr. Lesli Hapak, CDA board member from Ontario, felt that the booth was an effective way to connect with parliamentarians. “I liked the flexibility of the booth format,” she says. “This year, we highlighted dental workforce challenges and how they affect different parts of Canada in different ways.” Drawing on her experience with the Ontario Dental Association’s Political Action Committee, Dr. Hapak reflects on the scope of Days on the Hill. “Back in my first year, it just seemed so much bigger,” she says. “On Parliament Hill, we address concerns that affect every Canadian, not just those from one province or territory.” The Meetings During meetings at MP’s offices, Dr. Preston noticed a pattern almost immediately. “There are essentially two groups of MPs,” Dr. Preston says. “Those who are familiar with the CDCP or those who haven’t yet been exposed to it much. Depending on who we’re talking with, it can be a completely different conversation.” With many of the new MPs, he said, the context shifts. “Our role had more of an educational component,” Dr. Preston says. “We’re not going to start with detailed changes to improve the program, instead we focused on ensuring they understood the basics. This is important because constituents who are CDCP patients may turn to MPs to ask questions or seek direction. In general, MPs were very welcoming.” CDA delegates clarified that the CDCP isn’t free dental care. “We explained that many patients think it’s 100% free. When they find out that it isn’t, they’re upset. And they direct this anger at their dentist,” says Dr. Ward. “But it’s not up to the dentist, it’s how the government plan is structured.” For CDA, correcting those misconceptions is a way to protect the trust between patients and providers, and to help MPs understand why their constituency offices may be hearing complaints about a program many people don’t fully understand yet. On Parliament Hill, we address concerns that affect every Canadian, not just those from one province or territory. 9 Issue 1 | 2026 |
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