Federal dental plan’s expansion signals provincial opportunity
With applications for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) opening in May for Canadians aged 18 to 64, Alberta dentists are hopeful that the federal program can soon become provincial.
“Alberta dental patients and providers are in a complicated position,” says 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.”
We can’t build long-term oral health policy on short-term politics.
Dr. Hans Herchen
Alberta has a real opportunity to lead—
we are hopeful to announce details of our partnership soon.
To accomplish this, the Alberta Dental Association is ready to work with the Government of Alberta to develop a new provincial dental care program that leverages federal funding to provide better oral health care for underserved Albertans.
What exactly a renewed provincial program looks like remains to be seen but, according to Dr. Herchen, any new program needs to address specific issues like fair compensation, administrative burdens, and the significant risk of de-insurance that comes with any government dental plan.
According to Dr. Herchen, “while public plans help improve access to oral health care for people that don’t have private benefit plans, employer-sponsored plans need to be protected.”
“We can’t build long-term oral health policy on short-term politics,” says Dr. Herchen. “Alberta has a real opportunity to lead—we are hopeful to announce details of our partnership soon.”
Media Inquires
Lucas Warren
Public Relations & Communications Director
Alberta Dental Association
lwarren@albertadentalassociation.ca
780-932-0534