For anyone who didn't know, there is now a National Dental Plan for those without insurance.
It's for those with incomes of under $90,000 - so that will likely exclude all those here who don't get out of bed for less than $120k

It's being phased in, currently Seniors over 65, children up to age 18 and those aged 18-64 with Disability Tax Credit certificate qualify.
Everyone else 18-64 some time in 2025.

Details here and very easy to apply on line.
There's a handy tool to find providers who have signed up.

The downside is you might not find many dentists (yet) who have actually signed up to the scheme.
In Moncton there are currently only 6 providers signed up - 3 Denturists and 3 Dental Hygienists. Not a single dentist so far but there are a couple in other NB cities. Loads in Toronto.

I've been reading that dentists have been reluctant to sign up because of "the admin work" involved. I'm not sure why this would be any different to the admin they already do for other types of insurance. It might just be dentists in this part of Canada who can't get their heads around something like this.

Finally. A Dentist has signed up.

I heard recently the the Feds were relaxing the rules to get dentists onboard and, IIRC, the need for dentists to do a lot of form filling has been done away with.

Story is that....The federal government announced Wednesday (17 April) that oral health care providers who provide services to Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) clients can bill the insurance company directly without formally signing up for the program. "This also means that CDCP clients can see any oral health provider they choose for their care, as long as the provider agrees to direct bill Sun Life for services provided under the plan," the federal government's announcement said.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Health Minister Mark Holland said he thinks the "vast majority of dentists are going to participate" in the program.

Here's the link to the story;
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/den...land-1.7176565

That's good news How does the subsidy work - is it like the NHS with 'bands', or a percentage off the normal cost?

Affordable dental care is practically non-existent in Australia.

So from a quick look at the NHS bands and from memory of the amounts/treatments I saw, but can't find now, each of the items in those bands has it's established/agreed/standard/whatever word fees. (no doubt usually less than actually billed)

Co-pays at three levels with income under $90k.
Zero if less than $70k; 40% of the fees between $70k and $79,999; 60% for $80k to $89,999.

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/be.../coverage.html

I have no real idea but I imagine there are quite a few people eligible in theory but already covered by work plans. Average New Brunswick incomes seem well within the $90k if not the $70k.

It's going to be a bit of a pain for those with incomes under $70k who do have employee benefits but have co-pays and/or premiums with that coverage. As these payments are not part of the Canada Plan (if earning under $70k) they'd be better off with it but they can't opt out of the employee scheme to qualify.
A bit unfair, but let's be happy that a load of people will now be able to get some dental treatment.

Thanks for the input. I missed that announcement.
That search tool to find dentists who have "signed up" is from Sun Life anyway. You'd think they'd want to make it known they will be part of the plan, so a sort of "please ad my name to the list" would be in their interests even if not formally signing up.

I can be cynical and say some of the dentists are just using the paperwork thing as an excuse, thinking that if they are restricted to the approved fees rather than charging higher amounts that will be paid by existing insurance plans, but if this brings in additional patients - those without any coverage and without the means to pay - then surely lower fees for their work is better than no fees.

The lower fee for extra patients is still extra income for them.

No dentist in the list now. Did they change their mind? Perhaps they got lots of calls.

Either way, the list for Moncton is only 7. No dentists and it was 6 back in June.

According to my Moncton newspaper Saturday...
More than 70% of Canada's dentists are signed up.

Nationally, 2.3m Canadians have signed up with 450k having received treatment under the scheme. 19.6%.

In New Brunswick 50k have signed up with 3200 having used the scheme. 6.5%. Quite the difference.

So my wife and I went to our dentist here near Edmonton this past week. We have 100% coverage under the dental plan. The invoice at the end totalled just over $1000 of which we paid about $205. We were happy with that, we hadn't asked our dentist in advance if they had signed up to the plan or not.

Just had a partial denture repair. My 100% coverage covered all of it so that saved me $90.
Just a shame about the four taxi fares

My hubs has just been accepted to the program. 59 on long term disability.