Working Towards Increasing Access to Oral Health:
As you may know, the province of Ontario does not provide universal dental health coverage to its residents. In fact, one in three Ontarians does not have dental care insurance of any kind, and one in five does not visit a dentist because they cannot afford it. For example, individuals earning low wages or those unable to afford extended health benefits are without dental insurance and cannot afford to miss days at work to seek care. Seniors who lose dental coverage when they retire and live on a fixed income are also affected by the lack of a publicly funded dental program in Ontario.
There are programs in some municipalities that provide limited access to fill the gap that has been left out of Medicare, but access to these is difficult because of long wait lists. Existing provincial programs provide only a limited range of dental services and omit vulnerable groups of the population.
The Vaughan Community Health Centre has begun to advocate for better access to oral health care for all Ontarians. We have researched available literature that describes in detail the damaging effects of the lack of access to oral health. We have found that dental issues such as missing or damaged teeth are closely related to the lack of self-confidence that could impact a person’s social relationships and the ability to find a job. Infected teeth or gums are not only painful, but they can also lead to poor nutrition and lack of sleep and cause severe health conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. We feel that this is a significant and costly problem that must be addressed.
Ontario Oral Health Alliance E-Action Campaign:
The Problem:
- More than 2.3 million people living in Ontario – one of the most affluent places on earth – cannot afford to visit a dentist or dental hygienist. Most are low-income seniors and adults.
- The good news is that in 2014 the Ontario government promised to extend public dental programs to low income adults and seniors, but not until 2025.
- This may translate into 5 more years of suffering from dental pain and infection for people in our communities who cannot afford much needed dental treatment.
- We can do better!
Add YOUR Voice: Go to www.aohc.org/oral-health to send a message to Ontario’s Health Minister, Dr. Eric Hoskins, to let him know that we need government action now!
Tweet a Message: Use the hashtag #OralHealthEquity, #ONdental or #ONpoli
Two Ways to Get Involved:
We are currently seeking residents of Western and Northern York Region who are willing to share their stories with us. Have you, your family members or friends experienced problems related to the lack of access to dental services within the region? Is this an issue that concerns you and that you would like to help solve? We would love to hear your stories, give a voice to your concerns and hear your input as to the future direction of our advocacy initiative.
Please fill out a brief survey to help us advocate for your dental needs by clicking on the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XWJSM6D
We are seeking oral health care practitioners who would like to provide dental services to community members at an affordable rate. This initiative uses a reduced rate fee guide which outlines the maximum fees clients registered in our program can be charged for particular dental services.
Participating oral health practitioners can partner with the VCHC to provide the following services at a reduced rate for eligible community members:
- Teeth Cleaning
- Tooth Extraction
- Cavity Filling
- Prevention of Decay Education
In addition if you are an oral health care practitioner and would like to view our updated fee guide sent to York Region dental care providers, please click here.
Please email us at info@vaughanchc.com should you have any inquiries regarding becoming a part of the Vaughan Community Health Centre’s advocacy initiative.
