65 dentists are meeting with MPPs to try fixing the funding gap in public dental programs
TORONTO, ON — Dozens of members of the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) are heading to Queen’s Park on Wednesday to tell MPPs how important it is for kids to have regular access to the dental care they need.
At least $38 million a year is wasted as Ontarians resort to preventable emergency room visits for dental issues that usually result in patients getting pain killers and antibiotics but no long-term solution to their problem.
Oral Health Month is now underway and the ODA is continuing its push to have the province properly fund existing dental care programs, starting with Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO). Currently, 540,000 children and youth are eligible for treatment under the plan but only 260,000 of them are getting it.
ODA President Dr. David Stevenson says, “Having properly funded public dental care programs just makes sense. In the case of Healthy Smiles Ontario, I’ll be asking Minister Elliott to invest in HSO to prevent needless pain and negative impacts on kids’ health and social lives as they grow up.”
For more information, visit oda.ca/healthysmiles.
About the Ontario Dental Association
The ODA has been the voluntary professional association for dentists in Ontario since 1867. Today, we represent more than 9,000, or nine in 10, dentists across the province. The ODA is Ontario’s primary source of information on oral health and the dental profession. We advocate for accessible and sustainable optimal oral health for all Ontarians by working with health-care professionals, governments, the private sector and the public. For helpful dental care tips, visit www.youroralhealth.ca.