The Province announced the launch of its Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP) on November 20, which will provide free routine dental care for eligible low-income seniors, saying, “Each year in Ontario, preventable dental issues like gum disease, infections and chronic pain lead to more than 60,000 emergency department visits by patients, of which a significant portion are seniors. Many low-income seniors face challenges accessing regular dental care because they cannot afford it, impacting their overall well-being.” With an investment of approximately $90 million annually, the government hopes to reduce the number of dental-related emergency department visits.
Eligible seniors can apply to the program online or by picking up an application form at a local public health unit. Ontarians aged 65 and over with an income of $19,300 or less, or couples with a combined annual income of $32,300 or less, who do not have dental benefits, will qualify for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.
The Ontario government media release says:
- It is estimated that 100,000 low-income seniors will benefit annually from this program once fully implemented.
- Two-thirds of low-income seniors do not have access to dental insurance.
- The new dental care program will be available through public health units, including some mobile dental clinics, as well as participating Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Aboriginal Health Access Centres (AHACs).
Help is available from your local health unit
The Current asked Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) how the new OSDCP program will work. The team at RCDHU said they are refining their plans “based on the specific needs in Renfrew County and District. The roll out of services will continue over the next year as demand for services and needs of seniors are more clearly known.”
Since the announcement on Wednesday, RCDHU has begun assisting seniors with the enrollment process and understanding the range of needs they have. The team is coordinating dental care arrangements for clients under the new program. RCDHU advises, “As RCDHU does not currently provide dental treatment, agreements with dentists who are interested in participating in this program are being established. The goal is to establish services with providers so that care can be arranged as close as possible to where seniors live.”
The Current asked RCDHU to explain how low-income seniors without private cars would be able to get dental treatment. The team replied, “RCDHU is also looking at potential transportation needs for seniors living within our jurisdiction where, if there are no service providers, there will be a need for travel and seniors need assistance.”
How to apply
Seniors who wish to apply to the OSDCP have two ways to enroll:
- If you have internet service, you can apply online — just click HERE to visit ontario.ca/SeniorsDental
- If you do not have access to the internet or if you prefer to speak to a human, you can contact RCDHU and staff will assist eligible seniors in the navigation and access to dental services. Telephone : 613-735-8654
Yelich,I. (2019,Nov.20) Ontario Launches Free Routine Dental Care for Low-Income Seniors [media release]
Photo worlddental.ca
Thanks for looking into this for us oldies. I hope the plan will be extended to Ontario families living in poverty too. The real cost of poor dental care is immense in terms of chronic disease and visits to emergency departments averaging 61,000 visits costing $31 million. At least this step should cover the very poor elderly but I’d rather pay higher provincial taxes and see dental care included in OHIP.