Actuarial Notes

Seniors Spend Thousands on Dental Work, Suffer in Pain or Wind Up in ERs. Will Canada’s Plan Help?

By Lauren Pelley · CBC News · 2023 · GH201-720-25

Study guide: Exam GH-201C

A CBC health article by Lauren Pelley, posted December 14, 2023, on what the new Canadian Dental Care Plan could mean for seniors who face large dental bills, pain and emergency room visits when they lack coverage. The plan is hailed as a step in the right direction, although experts are watching closely to see whether it lives up to early hopes. It is the SOA's study note GH201-720-25 (formerly GHVR-720-24).

On the syllabus

  • Exam GH-201C — GH201-720-25: Seniors Spend Thousands on Dental Work, Suffer in Pain or Wind Up in ERs. Will Canada’s Plan Help?; Outcomes 4a.

Links between oral health, cardiovascular issues

  • Evidence suggests people seeking emergency care for worsening oral health issues can strain the health-care system.
  • There is a clear connection between gum disease and broader infections, worsened diabetes and cardiovascular issues such as stroke.
  • Emergency department visits for dental problems in Alberta from 2011 to 2016 were more common than visits for asthma and diabetes, and in Ontario more than 60,000 emergency visits were made for oral health problems in 2014, at an estimated cost of more than $30 million.
  • The plan covers a wide range of basic treatments and preventative services, including cleanings, exams, X-rays, fillings and crowns, root canals and extractions; it does not cover implants, teeth whitening or mouth guards.

Cut-offs and co-pays based on income

  • Higher-income Canadians will not hit the cut-off to be eligible, while others pay a portion as a co-pay that rises with income.
  • The plan is still a big difference from the large dental expenses many seniors now face, and it could open up care to millions more people.

Questions over access

  • Concerns include whether seniors can navigate what could be a complex system that requires an income tax return, and whether enough dental professionals will opt in or accept the plan as payment.
  • Barriers for people in remote and rural areas, including Indigenous communities, where dental teams are already in short supply, and the effect of an influx of patients on an understaffed industry, are also raised.

Sources