(Ottawa) Health Minister Mark Holland announced that dentists and other oral health care providers will no longer need to register with the government to provide care to patients covered by the Canada Dental Care Plan.
The government is trying to rally dentists who have been reluctant to join the program, which is aimed at low- and middle-income Canadians who are not insured.
Mr. Holland announced the change at a news conference in Nova Scotia after weeks of tensions with dental associations across the country.
Last month, the minister suggested that dental associations were actively looking for problems with the program.
The government has processed nearly 250,000 dental claims for seniors enrolled in the program since coverage launched in May.
The government recently expanded eligibility and has so far received applications from around 10,000 people with disabilities and 25,000 children.