As a practicing dentist, I’ve witnessed many developments in oral health policy, but few have had as profound an impact as the federal Canada Dental Care Program (CDCP).
The CDCP represents a historic investment in public dental insurance and is strongly supported by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), which represents over 21,000 dentists nationwide.
Its goal is clear: to help more Canadians get the dental care they need. CDA looks forward to working with new Health Minister Marjorie Michel to improve oral health across the country.
In the early stages of policy development, CDA provided the federal government with a detailed, patient-centered framework—a roadmap designed to ensure the new program effectively serves patients without disrupting the existing public and private dental care systems. However, we are now seeing some of the challenges we warned about emerge.
Across Canada, there are increasing reports of treatment delays and patients being denied emergency care due to pre-authorization requirements. For the CDCP to be a long-term success, these obstacles must be overcome.
A recent national survey conducted by the CDA and its provincial partners found that 92% of dentists reported that administrative delays, particularly slow pre-authorization approvals, led to patient frustration. Many common dental procedures require such approvals.
Health Canada reported that 52% of pre-authorization requests for dental treatments were denied between November 2024 and June 2025. The result? Patients who were promised care are now experiencing delays and growing frustration.
CDCPs are distinct from private dental plans, which typically cover preventive care and offer clear, predictable reimbursement.
In contrast, CDCPs impose a significant administrative burden on dentists and leave patients confused about which services are covered, when they are reimbursed, and why.
Employer-provided dental benefits have long been a cornerstone of oral health in Canada, but these benefits are now at risk of erosion.
From the outset, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) warned that if employers reduced coverage for low-income workers eligible for the CDCP, enrollment could surge from 9 million to over 17 million Canadians.
Such growth could overwhelm the program, slow universal enrollment, and undermine the hybrid dental care model Canada has pursued for decades.
Further complicating the situation are workforce challenges. Dentists report increasing difficulty recruiting and retaining dental assistants and dental hygienists. According to Statistics Canada, nearly 80% of dental practices face staffing issues, with nearly 9,000 positions unfilled nationwide.
About a third of dentists say these staffing gaps are already limiting the CDCP’s ability to provide care. As the program expands to cover millions of Canadians, significant shortages are likely, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Training new professionals is also becoming increasingly difficult. As eligible patients turn to private practice, dental schools are seeing fewer clinical cases, making it more difficult for students to gain the practical experience they need to graduate. Delays in pre-authorization not only slow patient care but also hinder the development of Canada’s future dental workforce.
Despite these challenges, dentists remain committed to working constructively with the government. We believe the CDCP can provide Canadians with more options without replacing existing insurance coverage or overburdening an already stretched dental workforce.
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) urges Ottawa to:
Streamline the pre-authorization and claims processes to reduce delays;
Protect existing private benefits through supportive policies;
Invest in workforce training and recruitment, especially for dental assistants and dental hygienists;
Support dental schools to ensure students complete required training.
Canada has an opportunity to get this right. With appropriate adjustments, the CDCP can deliver on its promise and become a lasting pillar of the national health system. But the growing evidence from real-world practice cannot be ignored.
The goal is clear: ensure that the program is not only accessible but also provides high-quality dental care for every Canadian.
