With more seniors accessing the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the local agency facilitating Ontario’s program for this demographic has decided to end its service agreement in Haliburton County in January.
The Haliburton Echo reported Wednesday that Dr. Natalie Bocking, medical officer of health and CEO of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, told a health board meeting that the CDCP has led to fewer seniors relying on the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP).
“The clients they are seeing are now accessing that service through other dental care providers through the federal program,” Bocking said. “So, it does not result in any recipients or clients losing service.”
Ontario launched the OSDCP in 2019 to provide low-income seniors with free routine dental care through public health units and community health centres. At its inception, the program covered Ontarians aged 65 and older with annual incomes of up to $22,200 for individuals and $37,100 for couples—a nearly $5,000 increase from the previous income thresholds.
CDCP offers broader coverage
The federal CDCP offers broader coverage, requiring an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 to qualify. Seniors aged 70 and older became eligible for the program on May 1, while those aged 65 to 69 were able to apply earlier in the year. In July, coverage expanded to include other eligible seniors, children under 18, and adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate. The program will continue to roll out additional coverage through 2025.
Haliburton County’s population is significantly older than the provincial average. In 2022, the median age in Ontario was 41.8, while the average Haliburton County resident was 52.8 years old, according to Statistics Canada. Additionally, the proportion of seniors in the county is growing. In 2022, 35.2 per cent of the population—approximately 7,250 people—were aged 65 or older, compared to 32.9 per cent, or 5,940 people, in 2016.
