Calgary dentists cautiously optimistic about federal dental plan, some social services supportive
Calgary dentists cautiously optimistic about federal dental plan, some social services supportive
After the federal government announced an expansion of dental coverage for middle and low- income Canadians in an agreement with the NDP Tuesday, some families and social support services are embracing it, while some Calgary dentists have lingering questions about the program rollout.
The new dental coverage plan is targeting Canadian families earning less than $90,000 a year, with no co-pays for those earning less than $70,000.
The program begins later this year with coverage for children under 12. By 2023 it will expand to children under 18, seniors, and people living with a disability to be fully rolled out by 2025.
The province already provides some dental coverage for children through the child health benefit and through Alberta Works, and the Alberta health minister says the province needs support for existing programs.
"Our preference is having the federal government (as) a partner in funding, providing the funding so we don't have duplication of the programs. We can work together to fill the gaps," said Jason Copping during a news conference on Wednesday.
LIGHTENING THE LOAD
Some Calgary parents say expanded access to dental coverage would help lighten the load.
"That would mean not stressing about it, being able to you know, take them to the dentist, pay those bills, and then the extra money that you would have put away for you know, that $300, $400 dentist visit and put it somewhere else," said Jennifer Henson, a single mom of two boys in Calgary.
Henson works two jobs to support her household, and supports an initiative that benefits families like hers.
"I do feel like dental is part of health care, it's super important, healthy teeth, there's a healthy body," said Henson before adding, "offering that to low income families, single-moms, that would aid everybody in getting the preventative care that they need so that you're not getting hit with these huge bills."
The owner of a pediatric dental office hopes the details of the federal program will not be limited to basic dentistry.
"If they're not going to follow up with covering the treatment that's required we're sort of at a loss. There's no point identifying a problem but then not being able to treat it." said Dr. Farida Saher, owner of Dental Care for Children.
She's also wary some families could continue to struggle to afford dental care, and still be ineligible for the expanded coverage.
"My hope would be that these programs the federal government is talking about would provide coverage to those people who simply don't quality for (neither) their private insurance (nor) the low income programs."
Another dental office owner says the profession needs to help the federal government make decisions.
"I think consultation and input from the industry is key and that sometimes is lacking in a bigger program like this." said Dr. Scott Spackman, owner of Spackman Dental.
"We want everyone to have access to dental care," he added. "The mixed reaction is that big programs from government sometimes don't run really smoothly so there's a lot of unknowns at this stage."
MOBILE DENTIST BUSY
The Alex mobile dental bus already provides free dental care to families in need and leaders don't expect to slow down.
"We would assume that even once this program rolls out there will still be people that have barriers to getting accessible dental care so we will still be here to help them with that need,' said Shannon Hawryluk, leader of the dental health program for The Alex.
The Alex partnered with Telus to add a third bus to its fleet of community buses.
Other social service providers say this type of expanded dental coverage has been needed for a long time and will make a huge difference for those in need.
"Dental care should be part of primary care," said Samantha Lowe, director of health and wellness for the Mustard Seed.
She added "it should be part of that provision of care in terms of equity overall, and how we ensure that everybody is able to access the same health resources. In a lot of ways its preventative to our clients (who) currently aren't able to get preventative care, and so it's more reactive."
Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux estimates the dental component of the agreement with the NDP will cost taxpayers just under $10 billion, four billion in the first year.
Speaking with CTV's Power and Politics on Tuesday, Giroux said the dental program would help an estimated six million Canadians who are uninsured.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida near Cayo Costa on Wednesday as a catastrophic Category 4 storm. About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before the storm hit the coast with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h).
Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop's biggest names of the 1990s with hits including 'Gangsta's Paradise' and 'Fantastic Voyage,' died Wednesday at age 59, his manager said.
With Category 4 Hurricane Ian barrelling toward Florida on Wednesday morning, some of the state's popular theme parks. national parks, gardens, and cruise schedules have been closed or impacted.
In the aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona, the premier of Nova Scotia is calling on telecommunications companies to 'step up', saying that many residents are still without cell phone service or access to 911 days after the storm pummelled the province.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre should not be opposing a dental benefit for children in low-income homes when MPs receive far broader coverage for their families.
Jeremy MacKenzie, the founder of the online group 'Diagolon,' was arrested in Nova Scotia on Wednesday on charges related to an allegation of assault in Saskatchewan from last year.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge tied the MLB American League record for most home runs in a single season Wednesday night during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The owner of the Vancouver Canucks has responded to bombshell allegations that he abused his children, which were heard during a family court proceeding this week.
On Sept. 12, two Vancouver park rangers on a routine patrol came across a tent by the pond at Andy Livingstone Park. They conducted a check, and found the tent empty, with drug paraphernalia inside. Both the tent and its contents were then removed and discarded.
When Cindy Brodowski bought her North Vancouver home earlier this year, it came with an eye-catching feature: a hedge trimmed into the shape of a face. As she found out, it had been there for years.
Five days after Fiona knocked power out for more than 500,000 customers in Nova Scotia, over 100,000 are still without power. Many more remain without internet and cell phone service.
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says, although there is still a lot of work to be done before things get back to normal on the island, there has been quite a bit of progress after post-tropical storm Fiona wreaked havoc across the province Saturday.
With more than 1,400 people in the field and hundreds more behind the scenes, Nova Scotia Power is continuing its restoration efforts across the province.
A beloved Victoria toy store is looking for a new home after operating out of its downtown location for more than 13 years. Cherry Bomb Toys is moving from its location along Broad Street near Johnson Street since the building was purchased by a new owner.
Flight safety personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force are investigating after an incident occurred involving a CP-140 Aurora aircraft out of Comox, B.C., on Wednesday afternoon. According to Captain Brad Little at 19 Wing Comox, the flight crew of the Aurora noticed they had a possible malfunction in one of their four engines shortly before 1:30 p.m.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge tied the MLB American League record for most home runs in a single season Wednesday night during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Outgoing CAQ Immigration Minister Jean Boulet claims the vast majority of immigrants move to Montreal, don't speak French and don't work. Party leader François Legault adds that accepting more than 50,000 immigrants would be 'suicide.'
Polls heading into the final week of the Quebec election campaign show much of the same results since the first week: a race for second behind the CAQ.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida near Cayo Costa on Wednesday as a catastrophic Category 4 storm. About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before the storm hit the coast with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h).
Ottawa police are vowing to take a zero tolerance approach for public disorder during Panda Game festivities this year, after last year's post-game celebrations saw thousands of people attend a street party in Sandy Hill and damage to property.
A new mural has been unveiled at Kitchener’s Victoria Park Pavilion, with the artwork created by a youth Indigenous program in collaboration with Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region.
A Saskatoon man fleeing police in a U-Haul van resorted to desperate measures after they spiked his tires -- he hopped on a nearby bike and tried to ride away.
All Saskatchewan residents 18 years and older who are able to get a COVID-19 booster will be eligible for the Moderna bivalent vaccine as of Thursday, according to a news release from the province.
Sudbury police are investigating a shooting at a home on Grandview Boulevard in the New Sudbury area Wednesday morning and say they believe it is a targeted incident.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board held a recent gathering to welcome international students from who are here to complete a year of high school.
A mother from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba is sharing her and her family’s experience at the isolated community’s nursing station, claiming their concerns about their daughter’s breathing were not listened to until the situation became critical.
On Monday, the federal government announced it would be dropping COVID border restrictions for anyone entering Canada and masking on planes and trains will also come to end.
With the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, some local businesses are making sure the public has every opportunity to support charities and organizations in the city.
All Saskatchewan residents 18 years and older who are able to get a COVID-19 booster will be eligible for the Moderna bivalent vaccine as of Thursday, according to a news release from the province.
The Alex partnered with Telus to add a third bus to its fleet of community buses.
