The Manager of Dental Health at the Northwestern Health Unit calls it one of the most significant health care initiatives in Canadian Medicare.
Dawn Sauve is reacting to a recent federal announcement that the government will establish a National Dental Care program for low and middle income Canadians.
$5.3 billion is on the table to fund the free dental program.
Sauve says the commitment is badly needed.
“When you look nationally. Only 6% of dental services are funded by the public sector. 62% is through private insurance and the other 32% is paid by clients out of pocket. So I think that’s another reason this new program is going to be quite important.”
She says roughly 6.5 million Canadians will benefit.
The terms of the deal say the government must start with children under the age of 12 in 2022, expand to under 18-year-olds, seniors and people with disabilities in 2023 and fully implement the program by 2025.
