West Street Dental Clinic

05/05/2025

06/13/2024

CDCP updates from the Ontario Dental Association:

How will the CDCP co-ordinate with Ontario's existing public dental programs?

Dentists providing services to patients eligible for the CDCP and either Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO) or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) may use Ontario's programs to supplement CDCP benefits. This means that patients are to procure the Canadian Dental Care Plan first, as well as the provincial programs, which will be claimed as the secondary insurance. To review dental costs, dentists send predeterminations electronically to your insurer; the insurer's response is available to the patient via their web portal with the insurer.

Dentists in Ontario are not required to participate in social or government dental programs.

CDCP awareness campaign
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA), in partnership with the ODA and the other provincial and territorial dental associations recently launched its first phase of a national public awareness campaign. The ODA is sharing this campaign on social media – visit our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X channels to see the campaign in action.

Send a message to learn more

06/06/2024

Canadian Dental Care Plan News: On June 3, the federal government announced that beginning June 27, 2024, children under the age of 18 and adults with valid Disability Tax Credit certificates (for e.g. ODSP) will be able to apply for the CDCP through the government's application portal. An anticipated 1.2 million more Canadians will be eligible for coverage after June 27.

Government's application portal:

Answer a couple of questions to find out when you can apply.

06/05/2024

Here is the phone number to request the Canadian Dental Care Plan: 1-833-537-4342

Send a message to learn more

06/05/2024

The phone number to request the Canadian Dental Care Plan: 1-833-537-4342

Send a message to learn more

04/15/2024

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html?utm_campaign=hc-sc-dental-24-25&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=ggl&utm_content=ad-text-en&utm_term=canadian%20dental%20care%20plan&adv=2425-563602&id_campaign=21145235706&id_source=162971433800&id_content=695410264515&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRhzcHMZolS0plrUGOsdcKRmK7US7zCvz6mXyerh_UtYtlNE0idhsRrxoC6BYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help cover some of the cost of various oral health care services for eligible Canadian residents.

02/22/2024

From the Ontario Dental Association, regarding the Canadian Dental Care Program:

The CDCP is intended to help millions of people without dental benefits access essential oral health care. Although this is an historic investment, the CDCP has been developed under tight timelines and with limited involvement of practising dentists. It is critical that the government has a full understanding of the impact it will have on patients trying to access the program.

Now that more details of the CDCP have been released, it’s time for the federal government to answer the big questions Canadians have:

Am I getting free dental care? No – patients may pay out-of-pocket for services and fees that aren’t covered under the federal government’s new dental benefits plan, including 40 to 60 per cent co-payments for families who earn more than $70,000 per year. Where government reimbursement does not cover the full cost of care, some patients will pay the balance.
Can I choose my own dentist? Maybe not – patients will have to search for dentists who agree to participate, despite the unclear terms and conditions set by the government.
Will it be easy to get the care I need? Maybe not – dentists expect there will be a lot of red tape that may delay care and not make this a smooth process. Unlike other dental benefits programs, the CDCP has inserted processes that get in the way of how patients can access essential oral health care, and the relationship they have with their dentist.
The federal government has not answered other critical questions: How will they protect existing work, school and/or group dental benefits? How will the CDCP work with other publicly funded dental programs, including provincial programs? Without addressing these legitimate concerns, how do they expect people to know what this will mean for their dental coverage and what they should do next?

As experts in oral health care, the dental associations, representing over 25,000 dentists across the country, have pointed out that the CDCP does not meet most of the principles of our proposed framework. This is an historic investment, so it is critical that the federal government truly gets it right.

Read our updated FAQ on the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which contains all the answers we currently have about this new program.

02/22/2024

For information regarding the CDCP

This guide provides information on the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the “Plan”, and its policies relevant to participating oral health providers and clients. It explains the scope of the Plan’s coverage by describing the important elements of each associated policy.

02/22/2024

February 12, 2024 – Ottawa, ON: The Government of Canada announced the roll-out of the 13-billion-dollar Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP).
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) has long advocated for targeted investments to improve oral health care in Canada for individuals facing barriers to access to care. The federal government’s funding commitment through CDCP has the potential to dramatically improve oral health access for Canadians, particularly for vulnerable populations.
On January 31st, Health Minister Mark Holland reiterated his commitment that the CDCP would be fair to dentists, saying "I feel very confident that we will have something there that is fair to both patients and dentists." The federal government has work to do for that pledge to come true.
Over the past two years, CDA has been representing patients and the dental profession in conversations with Health Canada. CDA and the Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations’ (PTDAs) provided information on what is needed to ensure optimal oral health care for all Canadians. We have shared critical recommendations that will improve CDCP and enhance provider participation. The CDA has been clear that CDCP will only be successful if dentists provide care for eligible patients. The dentists I know want to treat patients who need access to care, but the CDCP must not impact the oral health care system by eroding the excellent care two-thirds of Canadians receive.
Dentists across the country want the CDCP to be a success. Although the federal government has consulted with CDA since the announcement, the program has not incorporated several of CDA’s key policy recommendations, such as: ensuring that administrative procedures do not impact or delay the provision of care to patients; and ensuring the cost of treatment provided to patients is fully covered. CDA’s complete policy recommendations are outlined in our 2023 policy paper Bridging the Financial Gap in Dental Care.
The first six months of the program will be limited in its coverage. Many routine treatments will not be available to seniors who need this care the most. Health Canada needs to be clear with patients and providers regarding which services will be covered to avoid confusion.
Canadians should be aware the CDCP does not provide free dental care. Currently, the costs for oral health care under the CDCP for patients are unclear; however, the government has set a fee schedule less than usual and customary provincial and territorial fee guides. Canadians will not be 100% covered for their treatments and in many cases, will be required to pay out-of-pocket for a portion of their treatment.
Unlike traditional benefit plans, providers must sign up to the CDCP to treat patients. This is unique to the CDCP and is not a requirement for nearly all public or private plans in Canada. CDCP patients deserve a simple program that will not create unnecessary barriers to access. When surveyed, nearly half of dentists said they needed more details to make an informed decision about whether to participate in the program. It is anticipated very few dentists will want to commit to any program that does not provide clear terms and conditions. […] CDCP patients deserve the same options as Canadians with private insurance […]It is vital that participation in the CDCP is simple for providers and patients.
My recommendation for patients is to become fully informed about the CDCP […] Patients are also encouraged to carefully consider the impact of dropping their current dental insurance. Dropping existing coverage will render them ineligible for CDCP.
The CDCP represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to make significant improvement to the oral health outcomes for millions of Canadians. Given such a complex and challenging program to implement, we acknowledge Minister Holland’s commitment to continue to improve the plan right up to and after launch. However, the federal government must get it right by empowering dentists to focus on what they do best - caring for their patient’s oral health.
This op-ed was written by CDA President, Dr. Heather Carr, and published in February 2024.

02/22/2024

The federal government’s 2022 commitment to invest in access to dental care is an historic opportunity to close gaps in oral health care, leading to better oral and overall health for more Canadians. The Canadian Dental Association provided a roadmap for the federal government to create a sustainable and effective long-term program that will provide high-quality oral health care to those who need it most without negatively impacting the current oral health care system, including employer-provided benefits, on which most Canadians rely for their dental care.
Currently, Canadians with dental coverage enjoy flexibility in choice of dentists, minimal wait times and high-quality dental care with few limitations. Government policies that could potentially impact employer-provided dental benefits must be carefully considered because they risk having significant consequences throughout the Canadian economy.
A recent poll of Canadians has indicated that 78% support federal investment in dental care, however support falls to 39% when respondents consider the idea that it might impact existing employer-provided dental benefits. Also, 70% of Canadians with employer-provided benefits would be unable to or would not be able to easily afford dental care if those benefits were lost.1
With today’s demographic and economic challenges, an effective and equitable oral health care system in Canada is one that has a modern and efficient private insurance sector as its essential core, with the addition of a well designed and funded public sector component for people who need extra support.
While a lack of dental benefits coverage creates a barrier to care for some Canadians, there are many non-financial barriers that also make it challenging to access dental care. CDA believes that the federal government should develop a comprehensive federal oral health strategy that addresses a broader set of challenges facing Canadians’ oral health.

11/24/2023

Message from the ONTARIO DENTAL ASSOCIATION

World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week


World Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Awareness Week (WAAW), held November 18 to 24, 2023, is a time to build awareness and encourage action about the overuse and misuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobials, that are increasing drug-resistance in microbes.

07/19/2023

Message from
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario:
COVID-19 guidance no longer in effect

Following a careful analysis of current trends and the available evidence, we are rescinding our COVID-19-specific guidance. We have collaborated with Ontario’s three other oral health regulatory Colleges (representing dental hygienists, dental technologists and denturists) in making this decision to ensure continued alignment on this critical issue.
Why we made this decision: Public health indicators in Ontario continue to show signs of improvement. Public Health Ontario’s COVID-19 tool shows that case counts and rates are declining, while vaccination rates remain high.
In light of these changes, our COVID-19 guidance is no longer needed and rescinding our guidance will reduce unnecessary barriers to care.
Provincial guidance remains in place:
All dentists must continue to comply with COVID-19-specific guidance set out by provincial and national public health authorities.
Public health authorities are communicating COVID-19 specific guidance for healthcare settings and practitioners.
We advise dentists to continue to avoid the in-person care of patients who are suspected or confirmed COVID-19 positive, unless it cannot be avoided (i.e., in an urgent or emergency situation). We also recommend that dentists be mindful of the possibility of future public health emergencies, and maintain the ability to respond nimbly to new risks that may emerge (e.g., retaining enclosed operatories if these have already been installed, or the ability to re-enclose operatories in an emergency).