A recent report from Statistics Canada reveals that over a quarter of Canadians aged 12 and older did not visit an oral health-care provider within a 12-month period, with cost being a significant deterrent. The Canadian Oral Health Survey, conducted between November 2023 and March 2024, found that 28% of respondents avoided dental visits during this time frame. Additionally, 21% reported forgoing recommended dental treatments due to financial constraints.
Young adults aged 18 to 34 were the most affected, with 32% avoiding dental care because of cost. Within this group, women were more likely than men to skip dental visits, at 38% compared to 27%. Racialized Canadians also faced challenges, with 33% avoiding dental care, and 22% of individuals with disabilities reported similar behavior.
Income levels and access to insurance played crucial roles in dental care decisions. Among those with an adjusted family net income below $90,000, 33.5% avoided seeing an oral health professional, compared to 12.1% of those earning $90,000 or more. Furthermore, 50% of individuals earning under $90,000 without dental insurance skipped dental visits, highlighting the compounded impact of lower income and lack of insurance.
The survey data was collected just before the rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in December 2023. Initially, only seniors aged 70 and above were eligible, but the program is expanding to include all eligible Canadians this year. The plan aims to address financial barriers by providing dental coverage to uninsured Canadians with a family net income below $90,000. As of September 2024, nearly 2.5 million Canadians had enrolled in the program, with approximately 751,000 submitting claims covered by the plan.