There are many reasons why some Canadians choose not to go to the dentist, but a new report released recently from the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) found that cost is a major factor — and that Canada’s most vulnerable populations have the highest rates of dental decay, pain and disease, but the worst access to this much needed healthcare service.
The price tag for hospital care and most physician services is covered through our publicly funded healthcare system, but dental care is largely paid for privately in Canada. The CAHS report reveals that a whopping 95% of dental care is paid out-of-pocket or through private dental insurance and is delivered in private dental offices. The remaining 5% is covered through a hodgepodge of public health programs offered federally and provincially, targeting the needs of specific populations, with many falling through the cracks.
So what happens when you don’t have dental insurance?
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