Canada Dental Coverage 2022
Starting later this year, a Liberal-NDP coalition is set to bring in the beginnings of a nationwide dental program. The proposed federal dental program would provide coverage for millions of Canadians who do not have employer health benefits or cannot afford private insurance.
But what does the Liberal-NDP dental care proposal mean for you, and what are the potential consequences for Canadians? Let’s take a quick look at the details of this proposal below.
An overview of the newly proposed dental care plan
The goal of this plan is to provide dental care to Canadians who are currently not covered, according to federal officials. The current plan is to start small and expand service over a three-year period.
Included services would centre around preventive and basic care, as well as restorative dental procedures — such as fillings, gum disease treatments and extractions.
Over the next 10 years, the federal government says it will provide $1 billion in funding for provinces and territories to establish the program which works out to an average of $100 million per province/territory annually. A federal-provincial working group will spend the next year developing the details of the program and how it would be funded.
Who's eligible?
The number of people eligible is estimated at 6.5 million households across Canada, including 1.7 million households with children under 18 years old. The proposed program will be targeted at people who lack access to basic dental benefits through their work or other means.
The first stage, which begins later this year, will open the dental care plan to children under 12. Next year, that would expand to include children up to 18, seniors, and those living with disabilities. By 2025, the program will be fully implemented.
Those included in the full implementation of the Canadian Dental Plan are:
Families making less than $90,000 without dental plans (individuals making under $70,000 would not have to make co-pays)
Children up to 18
Seniors
Those living with disabilities
Maintaining your dental care
While those Canadians who have not been able to secure consistent dental care should be encouraged by this program, there is the possibility that it will not cover all services. So, those with dental care, and companies offering it as a benefit to their employees, should maintain them to ensure full access to preventative and reparative dental care.