Quebec Dentists Ready to Leave Public System as Contract Talks Drag On

In a move that could leave thousands of Quebecers without access to dental care, dentists are threatening to pull out of the public health system amid tense and longstanding contract negotiations with the province.

Serge Langlois, the president of Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec (ACDQ), is asking for Premier Philippe Couillard to step in and remove Health Minister Gaétan Barrette from contract talks. He claims Barrette cannot be trusted during discussions.

The majority of 4,300 dentists that make up the association are ready to submit non-participation slips to withdraw from the public health system this week, according to Langlois.

Quebec covers the costs of dental care for children under 10 years old and for people living on social assistance. The move — which would deprive more than 620,000 people of subsidized dental care with the exception of emergency procedures — would come into effect in late August.

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