Health minister must sell oral health providers on dental care plan before coverage begins

Health Minister Mark Holland is on tour to sell Canadian dentists and hygienists on the new federal dental care plan as concerns mount about what the government plans to pay providers for their services.

The government started enrolling seniors into the dental-coverage plan late last year as part of a new program to deliver dental benefits directly to people who don't currently have insurance.

The first people enrolled in the program are expected to be able to start getting their teeth cleaned and treated in May, but only if they have access to an oral-health provider who has signed up to provide the care.

Dental and hygienist associations support the program but balked at the fee guides the federal government released last month, which pay out less than is recommended by provincial and territorial guides.

There are roughly 16,000 dental offices in Canada, the Canadian Dental Association said. The program also needs oral surgeons, denturists and independent hygienists offices to register.

«We need them to participate in order for this to be successful,» Holland said Friday.

Holland was in Richmond Hill, Ont. meeting with various providers as the first stop in a Canada-wide tour seeking to bring dentists and other care providers onside.

He said the negotiation on fees is ongoing.

«I'm committed to really working closely with them and explaining this is iterative, where it's not going to be perfect out of the gate,» Holland said.

The program is the result of the political pact the Liberals signed with the NDP two years ago, and will eventually be available to any uninsured person with an annual family income under $90,000 per year.

The government is slowly rolling out eligibility, starting with seniors, before moving on to children