Kids, teens covered starting in June
⭐️HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️
- Canada has launched a new program to help low-income and middle-income families pay for dental care.
- Kids and teenagers under 18 who are eligible for the program can sign up starting next month.
- The program doesn’t cover all dental procedures and may not cover the full cost of procedures.
- Read on to find out if you’re eligible. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
Has your family ever struggled to pay for your dental bills?
If so, they’re not alone — oral health care is expensive.
A new program launched by Canada’s federal government is making the high costs of dental care easier to manage for middle-income and low-income families with kids.
Families can sign up for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) starting in June.
Marika Nadeau, director general for Health Canada, told CBC Kids News that a lot of kids miss school because of dental concerns.
“CDCP really is there to ensure that we improve the oral health of Canadians, and specifically children,” she said.
While there have been some hiccups getting the program up and running, the government’s hope is that the plan will eventually cover 25 per cent of Canadians who don’t currently have private dental insurance.
Am I eligible?
Provinces and territories have had programs to help kids’ families pay for the dentist, but this plan will cover more costs.
“The existing public dental programs are very, very meagre,” Dr. Brandon Doucet, a Nova Scotia dentist, told CBC News.
The main requirement for kids to be eligible is that their parents or guardians make a combined household income of less than $90,000 and don’t already have private dental insurance.
Those making under $70,000 will pay even less.
Your parent or guardian will need to sign up online on your behalf.
Parents can begin signing up their kids for Canada’s new CDCP program in June. (Image credit: Robert Bukaty/The Associated Press)
After they sign up, it may take several months for your application to be approved, according to Nadeau at Health Canada.
What is covered?
Most routine dental care will be covered under the CDCP, including things like cleanings, X-rays, fillings and root canals.
Orthodontic services, like braces, will only be covered if they are first approved as medically necessary procedures, and will not be covered until 2025.
Like a lot of private insurance plans, the CDCP may only cover part of the cost of dental care, and the level of coverage varies from procedure to procedure.
Some families still might end up having to pay for services, but provincial plans could also cover some costs.
Will my dentist accept CDCP?
Many dentists in Canada, but not all, have signed up for the program already.
Those who have not may still accept CDCP and bill it directly to the program, but that option won’t be available until July 2024.
If you have a dentist but they don’t accept CDCP, you would have to find another dentist in your area who does.
Dentist hopes program will expand
Dr. Joel Antel, president of the Canadian Dental Association, said he’s glad that Canada finally has a nationwide dental insurance program for those who need it.
That being said, he warned it could be a long road until the program is ready to sufficiently meet the needs of both Canadians and oral healthcare workers like dentists and hygienists.
As it stands, he said the program could cover even more so it can better meet patients’ needs.
“In order to be successful, the program might need to broaden,” he told CBC Kids News.
Whether you are covered or not, Antel said the most important thing is to stay on top of your dental hygiene.
“What you do at home in many ways is more important than what we do in the office. Effective brushing and flossing twice a day is key.”
Have more questions? Want to tell us how we’re doing? Use the “send us feedback” link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Robert Bukati/The Associated Press
With files from With files from Marina von Stackelberg
link