One in four Canadians aged 12 and older avoided oral health care services because of cost

Today, Statistics Canada is releasing new data from the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS) conducted in 2023/2024 on Canadians’ avoidance of oral health services, including avoidance of visits to an oral health-care provider or avoidance of recommended care because of cost.

Overall, almost one in four (24%) Canadians avoided visiting an oral health care professional in the past year owing to the cost. This was higher among Canadians aged 12 and older who would meet the current eligibility criteria for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), as nearly half (47%) reported avoiding visits to an oral health professional because of the cost, while more than one-third (38%) reported avoiding recommended care for the same reason.

In contrast, among those aged 12 and older who would not be eligible for the CDCP based on their income and insurance status, 15% reported cost-related avoidance of dental visits. Similarly, 15% reported avoidance of recommended care owing to cost.

The CDCP offers dental insurance coverage to those most in need. Research shows that both lower income and a lack of dental insurance are two factors strongly related to cost-related avoidance of oral health care. The CDCP, launched in December 2023, is intended to help eligible Canadian residents who do not have access to dental insurance (except through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program) with an adjusted family net income below $90,000.

Previous survey results: mouth problems, such as persistent pain, are more common among those without insurance

The COHS and other initiatives (such as the Survey of Oral Health Care Providers) were launched to collect data to help understand the state of oral health and the oral health care industry in Canada prior to the launch of the CDCP.

While the result published today indicate that those who may be eligible for the CDCP are most likely to have avoided oral health care services, a previous report highlighted that they are also among those most in need of care.

The recent release of data from the COHS showed that Canadians living in the provinces who had lower income and were without dental insurance were also much more likely to report mouth problems such as persistent pain or avoidance of certain foods. They were also much less likely to report having visited an oral health professional in the past year than their higher-income, insured counterparts.

Looking ahead

A more in-depth analysis of the data on cost-related avoidance is currently underway. In the coming months, reports are expected to be published in both Insights on Canadian Society and in Health Reports. Together, they will provide a detailed analysis of cost-related avoidance of oral health services in Canada. The articles will explore differences across demographic groups, the influence of income and dental insurance, and provide a focused analysis of factors associated with cost-related avoidance in populations likely eligible for the CDCP. Stay tuned as well for new data from cycle 7 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey later this year, which collected direct health measurements of oral health from Canadians aged 1 to 79.