The Alberta Dental Association says on Tuesday it is ready to work with the provincial government to develop a dental care program tailored for Alberta, just days after Canada’s health minister provided an update on the final phase of the federal dental plan rollout.
“Alberta dental patients and providers are in a complicated position,” said Dr. Hans Herchen, president of the Alberta Dental Association. “We’re being asked to work within two systems—federal and provincial—which creates confusion and frustration for patients trying to access the dental care they need.”
“The Premier’s announcement last year about opting out of the federal CDCP creates a fantastic opportunity to develop a made-in-Alberta dental program that works better for both patients and providers.” Dr. Hans Herchen
Herchen said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s previous announcement about opting out of the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) presents an opportunity to create a provincial program that better serves both patients and providers.
To achieve this, the Alberta Dental Association is prepared to collaborate with the provincial government to develop a new program that leverages federal funding to improve oral health care for underserved Albertans.
Key issues must be addressed
Any new dental program must address key issues such as fair compensation, administrative burdens, and the risk of de-insurance that can come with government dental plans, Herchen added.
Currently, balance billing is permitted under the CDCP, and the federal program’s fee grid aligns more closely with Alberta’s suggested fee guide than the province’s existing low-income dental program. However, compensation for many procedures under Alberta’s low-income dental plan falls short of the province’s suggested fee guide.
“While public plans help improve access to oral health care for people who don’t have private benefit plans, employer-sponsored plans need to be protected,” Herchen said.
‘Short-term politics’
With Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stating on Tuesday that his party would not scrap the CDCP, Herchen emphasized the need for stability in policymaking.
“We can’t build long-term oral health policy on short-term politics,” he said. “Alberta has a real opportunity to lead—we are hopeful to announce details of our partnership soon.”
Our report published last year comparing public and private dental coverage across Canadian provinces found Alberta had the highest rate of public dental insurance coverage, with 7.8 per cent of its population aged 12 and older benefiting from provincial programs, and highest private coverage in the nation.
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