The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) conducted a public poll with Abacus Data that highlighted how Canadians feel about the current state of oral health care in Canada.
There were some positive takeaways, such as 9 in 10 Canadians feeling comfortable attending a dental appointment today, even with the COVID-19 transmission risk, and over 80% of Canadians supporting the new Canadian dental plan.
However, there were still some areas of concern. The number of Canadians with dental health benefits has decreased since 2020, and the majority of Canadians feel seniors’ financial and physical access to proper oral health care is a serious problem.
“These findings show that Canadians acknowledge the need for improved access to oral health care services in this country,” says Anne Caissie, CDHA President. “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.”
