Federal dental-care program cannot leave Indigenous communities behind, say advocates – CBC
Mar 28, 2022
Poor access to food, overcrowded housing contribute to poor oral health in remote areas
Dr. Sheri McKinstry is optimistic that a new national dental program will offer much-needed access to dental care across the country, but she also says it’s currently unclear how it will help improve oral health in remote Indigenous communities.
“I can’t see it making that big of a difference in the communities because a lot of it has to do with access and getting dentists and oral-health providers into the community,” said McKinstry, a pediatric dentist and assistant professor in the College of Dentistry at the University of Saskatchewan.
As part of a supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and NDP, the federal government proposed a national dental care program for families making less than $90,000 per year.
