If you live in Canada, you know that healthcare is free. In other words, most people pay for their healthcare through their taxes and this means that when they are sick or have a problem, they are able to go to the doctor or hospital for free. There is no bill thanks to Medicare unless you are a tourist to the country.

But, one thing you do have to pay for in Canada is oral health care. Namely, you have to pay for appointments and any treatment you receive regarding your teeth. The topic that is always being discussed is whether dental health care is going to be taken under federal control in Canada soon. Let’s take a closer look.

How Canadians Deal with Dental Care

When it comes to dental care, this is something that Canadians have to pay for. Namely, the way it stands, dental care is funded by third-party insurance, private dental insurance and out-of-pocket. Taking a Altima Dental office in Mississauga as an example, payment plans enable patients to spread the cost over a period of time with zero interest. While you have the freedom on how to pay for your dental care, this is something that is necessary no matter what you are paying in taxes for your healthcare.

It is important to recognise that there are some federal public healthcare programs available. This includes certain groups being able to access dental services when they need it. This includes veterans, military personnel, social assistance recipients and some seniors.

Are There Changes Coming?

There are a lot of people in Canada that do want the federal government to take care of dental health care. In fact, there are a lot of people that cannot afford a simple trip to the dentist and this is something that people feel should be a human right, according to a

In particular, there have been calls for households that earn less than $90,000 to receive help from the federal government. This would allow them to receive the treatment they need and which can end up unaffordable on low salaries. In particular, this group is likely to be uninsured since they cannot afford to pay the premiums. So, this means missing out on dental care altogether or going into debt trying to pay for it.

So, would the federal government taking control of dental care solve this problem? It is interesting to note that in the original creation of the public healthcare system in the 1960s, dental care was envisioned within the plan. However, it is not universal now and there are a lot of people arguing that it should be. After all, dental care is health care and taking care of your teeth is very important. It is thought that around one in six Canadians cannot afford to get dental care that they need. This means that there are going to be further calls for the federal government to do something to help Canadian citizens. This is a topic that is complicated and there are no concrete plans to suggest this is going to be a move any time soon.