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Province urged to fast track public dental for adults in need

Over sixty representatives from communities across Ontario met today to share their concerns about the lack of affordable dental care
dentistry equipment 2016

NEWS RELEASE

GUELPH & WELLINGTON TASK FORCE FOR POVERTY ELIMINATION

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Over sixty representatives from communities across Ontario met today to share their concerns about the lack of affordable dental care and to call for faster provincial government action on the promise to extend public dental programs to low income adults.

At the annual symposium of the Ontario Oral Health Alliance held in Guelph, participants heard that 2 to 3 million people in Ontario do not visit a dentist, mainly due to the high cost of private dentistry.

In Guelph a local research report focusing on the barriers faced by low income people found that three quarters of respondents couldn’t afford regular oral health care, while about one-third (36 percent) indicated that they don’t have adequate insurance and 10% couldn’t find a dentist that would accept their benefit plan.

Other barriers, such as fear or anxiety , transportation issues, and language were also identified.

“My struggles to afford oral health care has taken a huge bite out of my overall well-being, physically,emotionally, and financially,” said Gayle Goldstone, a member of the Guelph-Wellington Oral Health Action Committee. “I’ve had pain, infection, depression, and loss of self-esteem as a result of tooth problems. When a single mom like me gets sick, who looks after the kids? When you can’t afford to take care of your teeth it has a domino effect on the rest of your health and family.”

Left with few options, many people in dental pain are turning to hospital emergency rooms across Ontario at the alarming rate of one visit every nine minutes. But they can only get painkillers and no treatment.

Participants at the Oral Health Symposium learned about some innovative examples of public dental programs that are meeting the needs of vulnerable children and adults at Community Health Centres in St. Catharines and Tweed, as well as a mobile dental bus operated by the Peterborough Health Unit.

“Dental cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases, yet over 2 million people in Ontario can’t afford to get treatment. Ontario must do better. We’re calling on the provincial government to fast track their promise to extend public dental programs to low-income adults by 2025, and to deliver the program in the most cost efficient way through public dental clinics,” said Anna Rusak, Coordinator of the Ontario Oral Health Alliance.

“The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care says they are working to reduce the gaps in Ontario’s health care system. Well, this work can no longer ignore oral health services. Teeth and gums are part of our body. We need Local Health Integration Networks to be responsible for ensuring that low income people in their communities have access to the public dental services they need to be healthy,” said Jacquie Maund from the Association of Ontario Health Centres.

Among low-income Guelph residents who reported experiencing a dental emergency, 22 percent of survey participants reported visiting a hospital for their most recent emergency.

The Ontario Oral Health Symposium was co-hosted by the Ontario Oral Health Alliance, the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, and the Guelph-Wellington Oral Health Action Committee.

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