Some Quebec seniors having trouble finding dentist to take federal insurance

With thousands of people signing up regularly for the federal dental plan, some seniors in Quebec are frustrated that their dentist has not opted in and they can't access the program.

Alain Davied is 73 years old and lives on Montreal's South Shore.

After retiring, his dental insurance disappeared, and the idea of the feds picking up the bill was exciting for him and other seniors.

"I said it's fantastic," said Davied. "At least someone is thinking about the elders because they don't think too much about us."

He signed up for the program, received his card and tried to use it. However, he soon found himself on a waiting list along with many of his friends, searching for a dentist who would accept the insurance.

Davied eventually found a dentist in Cote-des-Neiges (about a 30-minute drive from his home in Chateauguay) through his sister-in-law that would accept the insurance.

However, he said many of his fellow seniors remain in search of a dentist.

"The problem is like the family doctor in Quebec. It's very hard to find a dentist," he said.

To complicate things further, Quebec said in 2023 that it was planning to opt out of the dental program. The Health Ministry told CTV News on Thursday that there is no timeline for when this will happen.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland said Canada is fine with Quebec running its own program but that Quebecers must get the same level of service as it does through Canada's program and that it must not cost more than the federal program.

He is urging dental hygienists, denturists and dentists to opt in now.

"The need is fantastically large and we know that when people get that prevention done, they don't wind up in a hospital, they don't wind up with a major cardiac issue or other negative adverse impacts of not getting proper oral health," said Holland.

He said 60 per cent of oral health providers participate in the program, and around 200,000 seniors signed up within the first month.

He admitted that some are holding out.

"We have some that haven't participated yet," he said. "They are waiting to kind of see how it works."

He said a new portal is coming in July where providers can use it on a one-off basis to see how it works.

"The providers we're hearing from are saying that it's, frankly, easier to use than most private plans," said Holland.

Davied and other seniors hope the promise of dental insurance will become a reality.

"To me, it's political. It's nothing for people like us, the elders. It's just political."

With children and people with disabilities now able to sign up for the program, some are concerned waiting lists will get worse.