CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Since May 1, Jessica Vancolen has been providing low-cost dental care to a handful of seniors now covered by the federal government’s new Canadian Dental Care Program.
The program is a product of a 2022 political agreement between the governing federal Liberals and the New Democratic Party. It will provide low-or-no-cost dental coverage to those without private insurance, provided their household earns less than $90,000 per year.
Vancolen, a dental hygienist, says some patients were very keen to visit her office the day the federal program rolled out.
“Honestly, when May 1st hit, the phones just started ringing,” Vancolen said. “We definitely have a lot of people up and coming, some that have been approved and are just waiting for their CDCP card in the mail.”
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As of May 1, seniors aged 70 and over who have enrolled, are eligible to visit oral health providers under the program, provided these providers have also signed up to accept payment from Ottawa.
People with a disability tax credit and children under the age of 18 will be eligible to enrol starting in June. By 2025, the federal government says the Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP) will expand to allow all Canadians without private dental coverage to be eligible.
According to Statistics Canada, one in three Canadians reported not having access to dental insurance coverage.
But despite the program’s apparent popularity among patients – as of April 30, a federal government representative says 7,252 seniors in P.E.I. have enrolled – providers who are participating are few and far between in P.E.I.
Sunlife Canada, the administrator of Ottawa’s dental program, lists three independent hygienists in P.E.I. on its website, including Vancolen, as providers that have enrolled. Vancolen is based in Montague, another hygienist is based in Cardigan and the third is based in Alberton. One Charlottetown denturist is listed as being enrolled.
As of May 6, no P.E.I. dentists have enrolled.
Bugs not yet worked out
A representative of P.E.I. dentists says the CDCP still has a number of bugs that need to be worked out.
Brian Barrett, executive director of the Dental Association of P.E.I., says the biggest hurdle is that dentists are concerned recouping costs for care from Ottawa could be more difficult than from insurance companies or patients.
“If there's any screwup in the payments from either side, it ends up being a debt owed to the Crown,” Barrett said.
Another sore point has been the claim from federal officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that the program would be offered with no co-pays for households earning less than $70,000 a year. Dentists have said this is incorrect.
"That means that the dentists have to explain the whole goddamned thing to the patient. And they're upset. They have good reason to be upset,” Barrett said.
In recent weeks, the federal government has clarified there may be some co-pays for some procedures.
Those earning between $70,000 and $90,000 will have partial coverage under the plan, depending on income.
Despite the hiccups, Barrett conceded that some of the biggest sticking points between P.E.I. dentists and the federal government have been resolved. The fees that will be paid to dentists under the program are higher than those offered by P.E.I.’s provincial dental program.
Beginning July 8, dentists will also be able to submit claims directly to Sunlife.
“This addresses one of the biggest concerns of providers, and we are confident that most providers across the country will participate in the CDCP with this new option,” wrote Christopher Aoun, a representative of federal Health Minister Mark Holland, in an email.
Dental hygienists in P.E.I. have offered a warmer reception to the CDCP than the Dental Association in P.E.I.
'It's a great start'
Melissa Woodacre, president of the P.E.I. Dental Hygienists’ Association, welcomed the roll-out of the CDCP.
"It's not perfect. There's some kinks to work out. But it's a great start,” Woodacre said.
Dental hygienists, prevention specialists specializing in gum issues, became a self-regulated profession in P.E.I. in 2023. Before this, hygienists like Vancolen could not operate independent practices.
Woodacre said there are about five independent hygienists in P.E.I., most of whom have enrolled in the CDCP. The CDCP has allowed independent hygienists to quickly build up a base of clients.
"It's not perfect. There's some kinks to work out. But it's a great start.” – Melissa Woodacre, P.E.I. Dental Hygientists' Association president
However, most hygienists in the province work in dentists’ offices, which have no shortage of patients.
"Most offices that I have heard of are very backed up. There's a pretty severe shortage of staff, especially in terms of dental hygienists right now," Woodacre said.
Woodacre acknowledged there are still issues with the CDCP, such as a disparity in pay between hygienists and dentists for completing the same work.
But she said the program will expand access to dental care to a large population that would otherwise not be able to afford it.
For her part, Vancolen, an independent dental hygienist, said she has found submitting payments to Ottawa to work very well.
“It was seamless, honestly,” Vancolen said.
Editor's note: A photo caption in this story previously stated dentists were concerned with the prospect of having care paid directly by the federal government, as opposed to patients. In fact, dentists are concerned payments will be paid directly by the federal government but that patients will not assign payments directly to the oral health providers to submit claims on their behalf, as is done with private insurance.
Stu Neatby is a political reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached by email at stu.neatby@theguardian.pe.ca and followed on X @stu_neatby.
