Download Dental Care is a Right for All By Anna Rusak Chairperson

Time for a Change: Dental Care is a Right for All
By Anna Rusak
Chairperson
Northumberland Oral Health Coalition
“I’m tired of not being able to be the person I want to be because of the way my teeth are.”
In a poignant YouTube video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9q3zJxQyOE&feature=youtu.be), Chantal
chokes back tears, describing how an inability to pay for regular dental care is affecting her. Ravaged by
severe toothaches and infection, the Kingston woman has no choice but to get pain treatment in
hospital. Poor dental health also leaves her with low self-esteem and difficulties finding work. As Chantal
notes: “I want to be able to smile and mean it.”
Access to affordable dental care is difficult for many people like Chantal in Northumberland County and
across Ontario. According to a recent Public Health Ontario report, among Ontarians who did not visit a
dentist in the past three years, one in five people cited cost as a barrier.
During Oral Health Month in April, it’s worth noting that OHIP covers health care costs for every part of
the body except for teeth and gums. It’s a glaring omission when oral health has a direct effect on
overall health. Studies have shown links between poor oral health and diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
pneumonia and Alzheimer’s.
Like Chantal, thousands of Ontarians who suffer with pain and infection from poor oral health have no
option but to go to hospital Emergency Rooms to get painkillers. In fact, statistics from IntelliHealth
Ontario that were reviewed by the Association of Ontario Health Centres indicate there were 36,000
visits to Ontario hospital Emergency Rooms in 2011 for dental problems.
This is not a wise use of limited health care dollars. Instead, preventing severe toothaches and infection
is a better investment!
The Northumberland Oral Health Coalition is part of the Ontario Oral Health Alliance, a coalition that
works for better access to oral health care for everyone. Last year, the Alliance collected tens of
thousands of signatures asking the Ontario government to invest in publicly-funded dental coverage for
adults who cannot afford basic dental treatment. So far, this call has fallen on deaf ears.
Existing public dental programs for low-income children also need improvement. A story in the April 1st
Toronto Star headlined, “Ontario Should Stop Siphoning Money from Dental Fund for Poor,” details how
$45 million set aside by the Province to cover dental care costs for low-income children and teenagers is
not being used as intended. Income eligibility levels are so low that not enough families qualify for
financial support, leaving the programs underspent and children turned away for treatment.
Let’s fix these problems. Eligibility rules must be changed so more low-income families can qualify for
financial support for dental care. Creating publicly-funded emergency dental care programs for lowincome adults without insurance is also long overdue.
Join the Northumberland Oral Health Coalition in making change happen. Visit www.oaphd.on.ca to
send an email to your MPP, noting that good oral health is a right, not a privilege!
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