Canadian Dental Hygienists Association Study Highlights Strengths and Gaps in Access to Oral Health Care for Canadians

Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2023) - New public polling data conducted on behalf of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) by Abacus Data reveals that 88% of Canadians support the federal government's new dental care funding, but there are also some areas of concern. The new data follows the recent announcement of additional federal budget investments to implement the new Canadian Dental Care Plan, that will begin providing coverage by the end of this year.

"These findings show that Canadians acknowledge the need for improved access to oral health care services in this country," says Anne Caissie, CDHA President. The report also found that 87% of Canadians believe the national program will improve access to dental care services in Canada.

A concerning statistic is that the number of Canadians with dental health benefits has dropped to 32%, down 8% since 2020. "Most Canadians know that oral health is critical to overall health and that access to care, especially for vulnerable populations, should not come down to the ability to pay," adds Caissie.

Concerns regarding seniors and their access to oral health care continues to rise from 2022, with the majority of Canadians feeling both seniors' financial & physical access as well as their awareness & education around proper oral health care are a serious problem. The survey found that 81% find government-funded programs supporting seniors oral health are inadequate, up 9% from 2022.

"Oral health is essential to overall health, and results show that better access to preventive care improves health outcomes. As our government moves forward with our plan to expand access to dental care for Canadians, we look forward to collaborating with partners, including hygienists and the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, and to seeing healthier and brighter smiles across the country. "
- The Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health.

Caissie adds, "It's clear from these numbers and the early uptake in the Interim Canada Dental Benefit that Canadians recognize the need for better oral health care."

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Link to the report

About the CDHA:

CDHA is the collective national voice of more than 31,000 dental hygienists working in Canada, directly representing 21,000 individual members, including students. Since 1963, CDHA has worked to advance the profession and promote the importance of oral health.

Media inquiries:

Angie D'Aoust
Director of Marketing and Communications
adaoust@cdha.ca or 613-878-3607

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161089