Dental Care in Canada: the Need for Incorporation into Publicly Funded Health Care

Elisabeth McClymont

ABSTRACT

Dental care was recommended in the 1964 Royal Commission on Health Services that helped shape our current health care system but has yet to become a part of publicly funded health care. This has left almost one third of Canadians without dental insurance, leading to poor health outcomes and stark inequalities. Evidence indicates that dental care should be incorporated into Canada’s existing system as it is medically necessary, will decreased long term costs, and its inclusion will promote accessibility and comprehensiveness in our system. With the Health Accord expiring and an adequate number of dental professionals today, now is the time to incorporate dental coverage into the public health care system.

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McClymont E. Dental Care in Canada: the Need for Incorporation into Publicly Funded Health Care. UBCMJ. 2015: 7.1 (28-29).