Dental Care Phases-in this Year Across Canada

MP, Peter Julian explains the phasing in of the federal Dental Care Plan across Canada. He is understandably pleased about it's adoption by the government under pressure from the NDP (New Democratic Party) which made an agreement to support the Liberal minority government in exchange for keeping them in power.

In this video, we meet a New Westminster mother of four who is very grateful for this new measure.

We find her at Royal Square Dentist with one of her sons, who is being examined. In his case, he has some cavities that will be at least partially covered by the government. He does need to see an orthodontist; unfortunately that won't be covered.

Peter Julian explains to her how the program for families who have income less than $100,000 and it has been phased in, earlier in the year for children, and at the end of the year, older children will be covered, as will seniors. People need to register to get onto the plan. Peter says that the NDP will work hard to make sure the information about how to register is well-distributed across the country. 

However, there is a bit of a devil in the details, as Peter and the NewWest.tv reporter found out while there. Dentist and dental office owner, Dr. Harjit Kanda, says that the fees that they may charge the government for work done are based on a payment schedule more than a decade old. Also, dentists don't have to participate in the plan. Further, it seems, that the government is not vetting dental bills, so some unscrupulous people are taking the money to use for other purpose – although that is hearsay.

Let's hope that many people will have a lot to smile about because of the implementation of this new law. There may need to be some work done on the regulations and execution of it.