After experiencing difficulty receiving dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly three-quarters of Canadians have consulted an oral health professional in the past year.
Visits to the dentist are therefore back to levels observed before the pandemic, according to a national survey by Health Canada conducted between November 2023 and March 2024 published Tuesday.
This year, 72% of Canadians aged 12 and over consulted an oral health professional, a slight decrease from 2018 (75%), but a significant increase from 2022 (65%).
According to Health Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a suspension of routine and preventative dental care services until precautionary measures are put in place to limit the transmission of the virus.
Among all Canadians, those aged 6 to 17 (88%) were most likely to have consulted an oral health professional, while those under 6 (52%) were least likely, followed closely by those aged 80 and over (55%).
“These differences are consistent with trends observed in previous years,” according to Health Canada.
Insurance, a determining factor
Those with private or public dental insurance (81%) were significantly more likely to have seen an oral health professional in the past year than those without insurance (56%), the survey found.
And not all Canadians are equally covered. People living in Quebec (53%) were the least likely to have dental insurance coverage in the country, while those living in Alberta (77%) were the most likely to have it.
Dental insurance is also much more common among younger people than older people, according to the survey results. Only a third of people aged 65 to 79 living in private housing and a quarter of people aged 80 and over living in private housing reported having dental insurance.