Denise Kokaram says that as a dental hygienist she still mourns every tooth her patients lose, especially children whose dental health is so poor that they lose their adult molars.
“Unfortunately, we see it all too often and it’s especially disturbing when we see a child [lose an adult molar]especially a six- or seven-year-old, that’s particularly painful.”
So Kokaram and other hygienists and dentists are trying to raise awareness of a federal program they believe could help prevent tooth decay, disease and tooth loss in young patients.
“You know, an ounce of prevention, we know that’s going to go a long way toward helping these kids have a life of prosperity,” he said.
The Canada Dental Benefit was introduced last year to provide up to $1,300 over two years to uninsured children receiving treatment.
The benefit amount is based on a family’s net income, which must be less than $90,000 per year.
Depending on a family’s net income, a tax-free payment of $260, $390 or $650 is available for each eligible child.
To receive the benefit, parents and guardians must confirm that their child does not have access to private dental care cover and that they will use the benefit to pay for dental services.
The program is now accepting the second round of applications for dental work done between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
Canada Revenue Agency reports that 315,000 children had access to the benefit by the end of June, leaving almost 200,000 eligible children whose families did not have access to the benefit.
Health Canada says nine million Canadians of all ages do not have dental insurance.
A pediatric dentist in Calgary says it’s sad to know some kids go to bed every night in pain from painful, decaying teeth. He regularly sees school-aged children who have never been to the dentist.
“It’s overwhelming. We see a lot of wear and tear in the mouth and … it’s very difficult for these kids to get their work done, so a lot of times we have to put [them] under general anaesthesia,” said Dr Peeyush Ranjan.
And he says it’s not uncommon for children to even be sent to hospital for dental treatment under general anaesthetic.
Improve access
Applications for the dental benefit can be made through a CRA account or by phone or online. However, the Alberta Dental Association (ADA) says it can be difficult to navigate for new Canadians or people without access to a computer.
“Everything is a learning experience and I think it’s really important that these people are educated and that the government helps them get these care packages,” said ADA President Dr. Bruce Yaholnitsky.
It encourages families to access the allowance.
“The preventive part of this package is the real important part, because if we can prevent the disease, we don’t have to treat it.”
Debashish Maji, whose two daughters are young enough to qualify for the allowance, says he is going to look into the scheme.
“It is very important to have better hygiene and this is maintained [them] healthy.”
Kokaram, who is its chief operating officer Nation’s Dental, says its goal is to help low- and middle-income Canadians access the benefit. He says it’s critical to treat any dental problems early.
“A lot of these kids, by the time we see them, it’s years later and at that point, saving the tooth in many cases isn’t necessarily possible. And that’s really sad to me, because it sets them up for a whole set of other issues oral health as well as systemic health problems they will have later in life.”
Brian Labby is a business reporter at CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can contact him at bryan.labby@cbc.ca or on Twitter at @CBCBryan.
