Government of Canada announces $3.8 million investment to improve access to dental care in Quebec

The Government of Canada announced Monday morning a $3.8 million investment to improve access to dental care in Quebec, in collaboration with the Faculty of Dental Medicine at Laval University. Over $2.3 million will be allocated to expanding social dentistry services in downtown Quebec City through the SPOT clinic, as well as in a new clinic to serve the South Shore and Beauce regions.

Quebec federal MPs, Jean-Yves Duclos and Steeve Lavoie, were at Laval University on Monday to make this announcement on behalf of Federal Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel.

A $3.8 million investment will be granted for a project under the Dental Health Access Fund (FASB) at Laval University. This funding will mainly be used to enhance the training of dental students, as well as to increase access to care for more patients.

“Our government is committed to reducing barriers that hinder access to dental health services. These projects, carried out in collaboration with Laval University, offer concrete solutions to expand coverage of care and reach more people under the new Canadian dental care system. This will also improve training opportunities for students, to shape the next generation of dental health professionals and enhance the region’s overall health,” said Mr. Duclos, MP for Quebec Centre.

Three-Pronged Support

The $3.8 million funding is divided into three distinct projects.

Firstly, over $2.3 million will be dedicated to establishing new social dentistry internships in partnership with the SPOT clinic. The clinic currently provides a range of services for marginalized and underserved individuals within the public system.

Dental care is provided by a team of dentists, volunteers, and students at the Relais d’Espérance premises in Limoilou.

The clinic operates from September to May and halts activities during the summer. The newly announced funds will help add an extra operating day per week.

Additionally, part of the funding will be used to offer these social dentistry internships in a newly renovated and equipped dental clinic to serve patients in underserved areas on the South Shore.

Moreover, over $1 million will go towards establishing a new internship where dental students can work in private practices in underserved regions of Quebec, such as Bas-Saint-Laurent.

Lastly, $451,000 will be allocated to training students and supporting an initiative to recruit and retain eligible patients under the Canadian dental care system in Quebec City and Lévis regions, in addition to covering their co-payments.

This investment is part of a larger funding of $35 million, spread over 3 years, for 30 projects aligned with the Dental Health Access Fund.

“In 2023-24, over a quarter of Canadians did not visit the dentist, lacking access to dental care due to financial reasons. […] Thus, the $451,000 funding we received will cover the portion of the Canadian system that was not detailed. […] With this grant, we will be able to provide our entire patient population with 100% coverage,” said Marie Audette, interim dean at the Faculty of Dental Medicine.

“Fulfilling our Role in Society”

Ms. Audette also mentioned that this funding will enable dental students to be exposed to “marginalized clientele.”

“This allows us to fulfill our role in society. […] Dentists, future professionals will discover this environment, where people are in great fragility, great vulnerability. And that will be an incredible asset in their training, where human interaction will play a significant role,” stated Marie Audette.

Jean-Yves Duclos added that clinics like SPOT provide a welcoming environment for “people who fear institutions, who are afraid to visit private clinics.”

“They are also afraid of not being able to pay the bill in the end. These individuals often feel more comfortable, for various reasons, going to community organizations like SPOT,” supported the MP.

Reminder on Access to the Canadian Dental Care System

In December 2023, the government of Justin Trudeau officially launched the new Canadian Dental Care system.

To access it, individuals must meet certain conditions: not have access to dental insurance; have submitted their individual income tax return in Canada (and that of their spouse if applicable); have a net adjusted family income of less than $90,000; and be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.

Furthermore, a few hours after the press conference, the MP for Beauport-Limoilou organized a first session to assist with sign-ups for the Canadian Dental Care system at Patro Roc-Amadour.

“It is so positive. I know so many people. Even my parents used it. They were so proud. It was so important for their pride. It’s a great program and we don’t talk about it enough. We need to talk about it more so that people sign up,” emphasized Steeve Lavoie.

Since the program’s launch, over 1.7 million people have benefited in Canada. In the Beauport-Limoilou constituency, over 27,000 residents have already enrolled in the program.

This article is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.