Oral health-care providers can now treat patients under the Canadian Dental Care Plan on a case-by-case basis without officially signing up. Announced today, this measure aims to attract more dentists to the national public insurance plan. Health Minister Mark Holland stated that providers can “try it out, submit a claim, and see what you think,” with reimbursements occurring within 12 hours. Providers must agree to submit claims directly to Sun Life and not charge patients upfront.
The plan, which now covers over 2 million people, initially started with seniors and recently expanded to children under 18 and adults with disabilities. Health Canada has received nearly 35,000 new applications since the expansion. The Canadian Dental Association has raised concerns about the program’s terms, but 11,800 providers have already registered.