Cost remains a “major barrier” to accessing dental care, Stats Canada reported Wednesday, citing data from the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS).
The data shows that about 24 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older avoided visits to an oral health professional due to cost for fiscal 2024, slightly higher than the 22 per cent reported in 2018.
“Cost is a major obstacle to accessing dental care, and subsequently, an impediment to achieving good oral health outcomes,” the study says. The report details the characteristics of individuals who avoided visiting an oral health professional or getting recommended dental treatment due to cost.
The report comes after Canada launched its federally backed Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in late 2024 to help low-income and uninsured Canadians access dental services. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million Canadians have received care under the program.
Women more affected
The study also examined disparities among various groups. Overall, 27 per cent of women reported cost as a barrier to dental care, compared to 22 per cent of men.
Young women aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to report cost as a barrier, with 38 per cent saying they had avoided a visit to an oral health professional due to cost. Additionally, 33 per cent of racialized Canadians had avoided visiting an oral health professional because of cost, a higher proportion than the 21 per cent of non-racialized Canadians.
Dental care access disparity
Income and insurance play a significant role in access to dental care.
Among individuals without dental insurance, 50 per cent of those with an adjusted family net income (AFNI) under $90,000 and 30 per cent of those with an AFNI of $90,000 or more avoided visits to an oral health professional due to cost.
For individuals with private insurance, cost-related avoidance was 19 per cent for those with an AFNI less than $90,000 and 7 per cent for those with an AFNI of $90,000 or more.
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