Politics·UpdatedHealth Canada is touting the uptake of its major public insurance program, but data shows that nearly half of the 5.2 million eligible patients haven’t yet seen a dentist.Close to 100% of active oral health-care providers treating patients through the program, Health Canada saysHealth Canada says nearly 100 per cent of actively practising oral health-care providers are now treating patients through the Canadian Dental Care Plan. (Shane Hennessey/CBC)Health Canada is touting the major uptake of its public dental insurance program, but data shows that nearly half of the 5.2 million eligible patients have yet to see a dentist.Of the Canadians approved for coverage, 2.8 million have been to a dental clinic.The new data comes six months after the Canadian Dental Care Plan expanded to cover 18- to 64-year-olds. So far, 1.8 million people in this newest cohort are approved for the plan. A quarter of them have actually used the program so far.Health Minister Marjorie Michel says having millions enrolled in the program is key because it gives people the opportunity to go, even if they haven’t yet made it into a dental chair.”It’s still a new program,” she said Thursday at a news conference at a community centre in Ottawa.”It’s like, you can go to your doctor, and you don’t feel the need to go tomorrow morning, but you still can go to the doctor. It’s just the same.”Health Canada also now says close to 100 per cent of active dentists, denturists and independent dental hygienists are treating patients through the program. It’s a significant milestone considering initial uptake from dentists was low.WATCH | Minister asked why only half of Canadians enrolled in dental care program have seen a dentist:Health minister asked why only half of Canadians enrolled in dental care program have seen a dentistHealth Minister Marjorie Michel, speaking on Thursday in Ottawa, said the fact that more than five million people have been accepted into the federal dental care program is good news because the program is available for them, even if many haven’t seen an oral health provider.The national insurance program subsidizes the cost of dental care for Canadian residents with a family net income below $90,000, if they don’t have access to a private insurance plan.The plan helps pay for a range of dental work, including cleanings, fillings and dentures. Health Canada says on average, each patient has had $800 in expenses covered per year.Dental clinics can also “balance bill,” meaning they can charge more than what the federal government covers, requiring the patient to pay the difference.Some patients have raised concerns about this practice, saying it enables a dental office to charge whatever they want for the procedure.Asked whether she would consider restricting what oral health-care providers can bill patients for, Michel said her office is “monitoring very closely how fees are applied to patients.””My department is working closely also with the providers to make sure that we can understand the cost, why the costs are applied, and we will improve within time,” she said. “But it’s still a work in progress.”The Canadian Dental Care Plan began in May 2024 for seniors, then children and Canadians who received the disability tax credit. In May 2025, it expanded to all eligible Canadians.The massive, multibillion-dollar public insurance program was brought in as a result of the NDP, which propped up the previous Trudeau Liberal minority government for two years in the House of Commons in return for major social programs like dental care.ABOUT THE AUTHORMarina von Stackelberg is a senior reporter at CBC’s Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa. She covers national politics with a focus on health, labour, and the NDP. Marina previously worked as a reporter and host in Winnipeg, with earlier stints in Halifax and Sudbury. Connect with her by email at mvs@cbc.ca or on social media @CBCMarina.
5 million Canadians now covered by national dental care plan, but nearly half haven’t been to a dentist
