Eleven provincial and territorial dental associations have written a joint letter to the Federal Minister of Health expressing serious concerns about the lack of information on critical aspects of this new regulation.

“We have no indication that we are being heard,” said the eleven associations in their letter, which was also sent to all MPs this week. The Quebec association is not among the signatories.

The associations fear that the success of the new regime will be jeopardized “by a lack of meaningful consultation with the dentists we represent – ​​those who are expected to deliver on the Government’s promises”.

Agreement between Liberals and NDP

This program grew out of the Support and Confidence Agreement reached last year between the Liberals and New Democrats to provide federal dental insurance for middle- and low-income families.

The new dental insurance program is expected to be announced before the end of the year, but claims may not be accepted until 2024.

In its budget last spring, the Liberal government promised $13 billion over the next five years to implement the national dental care plan, which the federal government estimates will insure up to nine million people.

The government plans to initially cover uninsured people under 18, seniors and people with disabilities whose annual family income is less than $90,000.

Few details

More specific details about the new rule have not yet been released, and those details are important, say the dental associations that signed the letter.

“If we get the details wrong, there will be serious unintended consequences and access to oral health care in Canada will be at risk for generations,” the letter says.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, but has already indicated he does not want to move forward with the official announcement.

Dentists particularly want to understand how the federal government wants to prevent employers and private insurers from cutting coverage for low- and middle-income families and instead direct them to the federal plan.

They also want to know how the new program fits with existing public reporting from federal, state and local governments.

Quebec already has a dental care program for children under 10 and recipients of a financial assistance program. François Legault’s government indicated that it did not want to join the Canadian regime and wanted a right of withdrawal with full financial compensation.