The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) has reached a major milestone in British Columbia, with more than 720,000 residents now covered under the program, the Government of Canada announced Friday.
According to the government, more than 430,000 people in B.C. have already received care from participating providers.
“The demand for the CDCP has been remarkable, and the new milestones announced today reflect that success,” said Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.
“For decades, many Canadians were unable to afford the dental care they need. This had an impact on their nutrition and general health. Links between dental health and physical health are well-established,” Fry added.
Related: Health Canada corrects ‘error’ in income assessment impacting 70,000 CDCP applicants
Related: Health Canada grants $4M to eight dental faculties following CDCP rollout
The announcement comes after the government expanded the CDCP in May to include eligible Canadians aged 18 to 64. As a result, more than 5.5 million Canadians are now covered under the plan, and over 3 million have already received dental care.
According to the government’s release, eligible members save an average of about $800 per year on dental costs. In B.C., the increase in access is also expected to ease pressure on the health-care system: emergency-department visits for preventable dental issues cost Canada’s health system more than $31 million in 2022-23, with B.C.’s share at $6.5 million.