(Ottawa) Some dentists and hygienists are concerned they won’t be paid fairly for their services under a new federal dental care plan, and fear it could jeopardize the success of the large-scale program.
Each province and territory has its own guide to the cost of dental services.
The federal repayment plan closely resembles what the government pays under its First Nations and Inuit benefits program, which is generally lower than what is recommended by provincial and territorial guides.
According to the president of the Ontario Dental Association, Dr.r Brock Nicolucci, this means dentists may not want to sign up to participate or patients will have to pay the difference out of pocket.
Federal officials say reimbursement amounts must be fair to providers and use public funds responsibly.
The plan is expected to provide coverage to uninsured families with household incomes below $90,000, starting with seniors in May.