Parents' Views on Access to Dental Care and the Interim Canada Dental Benefit

Canada's national health insurance historically excluded dental care until the introduction of the Interim Canada Dental Benefit (CBD) in October 2022. This represented a paradigm shift toward enhancing dental care accessibility for children younger than 12 y from lower-income families. This study investigated parents' perspectives on access to oral health care and the Interim CDB.

The Strategic Counsel for Health Canada collected data from participants across Canada using an online survey administered in March 2023. Data were administered to parents of children younger than 12 y with a household income less than $90,000. The survey included 45 questions covering demographics, barriers to accessing dental care, and awareness of the Interim CBD. Paired/overlap t test for means and paired/overlap z test for percentages were performed, with statistical significance set at P ≤ 0.05.

A total of 2,203 participants completed the survey, with a response rate of 65%. Most participants expressed concerns about the costs (90.9%) and accessibility (80.9%) of dental care, indicated that regular dental visits for children are important (97.2%), and would take their children more frequently to dental appointments if they had extra money (79.9%). Some of the barriers preventing regular dental visits for children included the costs of service and transportation and lack of insurance. Most parents supported the Interim CDB (87%), with the greatest support coming from the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan (90.4%).

This research underscores the imperative for ongoing evaluation and policy refinement to ensure the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) effectively addresses the nuanced needs of Canadian families, fostering a more inclusive and accessible dental care system. Parents' concerns regarding dental care and their support for the Interim CDB signal a clear mandate for improving program outreach and accessibility through the CDCP.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This study showed the significant concerns reported by survey participants about dental care affordability in Canada and the highly positive perception of the Interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB). This supports the necessity of programs such as the CDB and Canadian Dental Care Plan, which are crucial for the success of a policy intervention. Concern about accessing dental services, despite the availability of insurance, indicates ongoing barriers to dental care, suggesting areas for future policy refinements.