Dental health plays a critical role in a person’s overall well-being, however, access to dental care and the availability of treatment varies widely across Canada.
With a mix of private and public insurance systems, Canadians’ dental habits and access to oral health professionals often reflect their insurance coverage and socioeconomic conditions.
In this article, we explore dental health in Canada and share resources to recent studies conducted by Canada’s governing bodies.
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Frequency of visits
Just under three in four Canadians (72%) reported that they had visited an oral health professional in the previous 12 months from November 2023 to March 2024. – Source
School-aged children and youth aged 6 to 17 years (about 88%) were most likely to have visited an oral health care professional in the previous 12 months, while children younger than 6 years (52%) were least likely to have seen one. – Source
Among adults, those aged 18 to 64 years (about 75%) were most likely to have visited an oral health professional in the previous 12 months, followed by those aged 65 to 79 years (69%) and 80 years and older (55%). – Source
Dental Insurance In Canada
In a study conducted from November 2023 to March 2024, 65.7% of Canadians reported visiting a dental professional in the previous year: 74.6% of those with private insurance, 62.8% with public insurance, and 49.8% uninsured. – Source
In a study conducted from November 2023 to March 2024, cost-related avoidance of dental care was 16.0%, 20.9%, and 47.4% for the privately insured, publicly insured, and uninsured, respectively. – Source
In a study conducted from November 2023 to March 2024, children aged 0 to 5 years (83%) were most likely to be covered by dental insurance, followed by youth aged 6 to 11 years (79%) and 12 to 17 years (77%). – Source
In a study conducted from November 2023 to March 2024, about one in three seniors aged 65 to 79 years living in private dwellings (38%) and one in four seniors aged 80 years and older living in private dwellings (25%) reported having dental insurance. – Source
Canadians with private or public dental insurance (81%) were much more likely to report during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had visited an oral health professional in the past year than those without insurance (56%). – Source
Canada Dental Care Plan (CDCP)
As of October 30, 2024, 2,771,230 individuals have been approved for coverage under the CDCP. – Source
As of October 30, 2024, 1,000,430 approved applicants have received dental care services through the plan. – Source
As of October 30, 2024, 1,000,430 approved applicants have received dental care services through the plan. – Source
Dental Visits in Canada
According to the first results from the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS), approximately three in four Canadians aged 12 years and older (72%) reported during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had visited an oral health professional in the past year. This was down from 75% in 2018 but up from 65% in 2022. – Source
From November 2023 to March 2024, Canadians living in population centres (67%) were more likely to have dental insurance coverage than those living in rural areas (56%). – Source
Dental Visits in Canada
As of 2023, there are approximately 26,240 licensed dentists in Canada, operating out of roughly 15,000 dental offices. – Source
There are approximately 16,000 dental offices in Canada. – Source
More than two-thirds (67%) of Canadians report having dental benefits that cover all or part of their dental treatments; roughly 50% of Canadians have employer-provided dental benefits. – Source
Canadians with health benefits are more likely to visit a dentist (82%) than those without (60%). – Source
In 2019, a total of $16.4 billion was spent on dental care in Canada, with roughly 94% coming from the private sector. – Source
In 2023, the population to dentist ratio in Canada is approximately 1,530 Canadians per dentist. – Source
In 2022, approximately 55% of Canadians report having private dental benefits. – Source
Canadians with health benefits are more likely to visit a dentist (76%) than those without (51%). – Source
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Canadians reported having seen a dental professional in the 12 months preceding the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. – Source
Dental Care in Calgary
If you need a dentist in Calgary, contact the team at Sierra Dental today by calling 403-297-9600.