Price and socioeconomic status attributes to the disparities in health outcomes and utilization rate of dental services. The current oral health care model propagates and reinforces income inequalities through its financial structure. As mentioned above Canada’s oral health care is delivered mainly through private clinics, and therefore the vulnerable population experiences difficulty accessing care. Accessibility to dental care can be attributed to a number of factors as outlined below.
(1) LOW INCOME AND LACK OF INSURANCE: A number of studies have linked poor oral health with low socioeconomic status. Affordability is identified as major challenge in accessing dental care. “For instance, 17.3 per cent of the whole population (i.e., approximately
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Following the 1990’s recession as a means of cost saving companies changed dental coverage by “limiting of annual maximums and/or services, and/or through the introduction or expansion of deductibles, co-insurance or co-payments”5 Also, during this period availability of employment-based insurance decreased, as temporary and part time employment was increasing.5 This period of economic recession saw a marked increased in the cost and demand for dental service, yet wages remained stagnant for more than 20 years5. In 1960 total per capita dental care expenditure was estimated at $6 and by 2008 it has increased to $50, a 730% increase.5
In 2009, dental insurance non-coverage was lowest among middle-income Canadians (48.7%). Also, this population reported experiencing the greatest barriers to dental care (34.1%), a 21.5% increased compared to 1996.5 “Canadians had the largest rise in out-of-pocket expenditures for dental care since 1978.”3 Increase of lack of dental coverage is evident across most groups of Canadians, for instance no insurance for ages 16-11 and seniors (60-79) increase to 21% and 53%
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This shortage of dental professionals may be attributable to a number of reasons, namely migration and low enrollment of dental students. Canadians’ Aboriginal and immigrant populations are growing rapidly and both these populations are experiencing barriers to access dental care.
Across Canada some communities lack access to dental care because there is no oral health care provider in those areas.8 Rural and remote communities are particularly affected by shortage of dental professionals. In fact, these communities are served by only 13% of dentists or dental specialists.9 Communities that are experiencing a shortage of oral health care professionals, often rely on the service of physicians or nurses who may not have the required skills, knowledge and training in oral health care. 10. Dental service is often not available in most remote and rural communities across Canada, which means many residents would have to travel for long distances to access
The health care system in Canada today is a combination of sources which depends on the services and the person being treated. 97% of Canadians are covered by Medicare which covers hospital and physician services. Medicare is funded at a governmental and provincial level. People of First Nation and Inuit descent are covered by the federal government. Members of the armed forces, veterans, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also covered by the federal government. Several services such as dental care, residential care, and pharmaceutical are not covered. The 13 provinces have different approaches to health care; therefore, it is often said that Canada has 13 healthcare systems (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The access to advanced medical technology and treatment, the cost of healthcare, and the overall health of Canadians fares well in comparison with other countries such as the United States.
The article Poor Teeth was written by Sarah Smarsh with the goal in mind being to shed light on the issue between upper and lower class society in a particularly concrete way. Teeth and dental health are an easy thing for people to imagine in their head because everyone has a set whether they’re white and shiny or black and rotted. This makes it easy to draw a comparison between people that care for their teeth and those who don’t. However, access to dental knowledge and services which the lower class often times doesn’t have is very different between the poor and the rich. While the rich stroll through life showing off their perfect glossy white rows of teeth, there are less privileged people out there with barren mouths whose weak pale gums
Individuals experience different access to health-care depending on their social location. “A lack of access is illustrated by a person who has had an unmet health-care need for which he or she felt he or she had needed, but had not received, a health-care service in the past year” (Ives, Denov, & Sussman, 2015, p. 170). Health-care access in Canada is often unequally distributed, leaving vulnerable individuals unable to secure sufficient assistance. Changes in health-care delivery in Canada have affected individuals’ access to services. Vulnerable groups such as low-income, rural, and immigrant families experience pronounced difficulty adjusting to Canada’s health-care system.
Due to Canada having free health care, many people see it as a positive economic system. All citizens are treated equally, which leaves them to be undeniable through any type of health care treatment (Lindenberg, 2012). No matter what the medical problem is, a clinic/hospital will ensure that that patient will receive the proper medical attention needed. Citizens receive a more enhanced treatment by doctors for a smaller price. For example, if a patient comes into a health clinic with something as little as a broken bone or stitches they will receive excellent care for an affordable price or even better, no price at all (Public Healthcare Service, 2014). Individuals have the luxury of accessing any hospital or medical clinic with no hassles. This means they have a variety of choices as to where they can go for medical services without being denied treatment. They also receive great benefits on prescription drugs and other medical products. If they’re not free, they’re much cheaper than other countries such as the United States (Public Healthcare Service, 2014). ...
Canadians do not pay a co pay for primary care visits. This is an encouraging factor for all of its citizens, regardless of social status, to seek medical treatment earlier rather than later. Interestingly, there are not many differences between survival rates in Canada and the United States for middle and upper income groups,
Vargas, M. C., Dye, B. A., & Hayes, K. L. (2002). Oral Health status of rural adults in the United States. Journal of the American Dental Association, 133(1672-1681).
Romanow, R. (n.d.). Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada. Collections Canada. Retrieved from http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/20071122004429/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/pdf/romanow/pdfs/hcc_final_report
The Canadian health care system is widely known and described by the term “free”, which makes those individuals that classify the Canadian health care system as free, oblivious of what is actually taking place. What this article reveals and Canadians need to understand is that in Canada we have a 70:30 percent ratio of publicly and privately ran health services and those privately ran health services are to be increasing. That 70% is being financed by the government through taxation dollars while the other 30% is directly coming out of individual’s pockets or any benefits or insurance they are covered over. In the mythbuster article it states dental hygiene care is paid by individuals directly out of their pocket or by private insurance
Sundby, A., & Petersen, P. E. (2003). Oral health status in relation to ethnicity of children in the Municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 13(3), 150-157.
Each country in today’s world has their own growth and their own dental care system. As you can see in appendix 5 and 6 you will see “Scorecard assessment of state of evidence for action, leadership, resources and health systems in important areas of oral health”(Beaglehole Pg 90). The global scale is organized in 3 categories high income, middle income and low income countries. High income countries world population is on...
It has often been seen that certain dentist are in the field for their own personal gain by obtaining as much money as they can out of a patient. This can be a problem in that a patient may not be able to afford basic dental care if their insurance increases their rate. Dr. Pham has stated that when obtaining inventory that will help perform procedures like fillings, the company often gives dentist a range to which they can charge the patient. Meaning, if dentist wanted to, they could charge the minimum and break even, or charge the maximum and gain a huge surplus. If dentist were only in this physician to obtain as much money they could, patients wouldn’t be able to afford the basic necessities. Thus, dentist would start to lose patients due to not being financially stable to obtain such services. This would create a division on patients who can afford such health cares and those who cannot. As a result, creating your own personal financial gain through the dental field is in no way a means to over-diagnose and over treat a patient it they do not need the services and or can not afford
Bryant, Toba, Chad Leaver, and James Dunn. 2009. “Unmet healthcare need, gender, and health inequalities in Canada.” Health Policy 91(2009): 24-32.
Niewczyk, Paulette M., and Jamson S. Lwebuga-Mukasa. "Is Poverty the Main Factor Contributing to Health Care Disparities? An Investigation of Individual Level Factors Contributing to Health Care Disparities."WWW.JEHONLINE.COM. THE JOURNAL OF EQUITY IN HEALTH, Oct. 2008. Web. 7 May 2014.
Good oral hygiene involves regularly brushing and flossing of teeth, however, access to professional dental care can improve the overall health of an individual.1 Given the direct impact oral health has on general health, one would expect dental care to be included in a national health insurance. This is not the case, however, in Canada. The federal and provincial governments have joint responsibility for the delivery of health care services in Canada.2. “The Federal Government funds health transfers to the provinces and territories by virtue of the Canada Health Act. It also has main responsibility for providing health benefits for First Nations and Inuit, the military, Royal Commission Mounted Police (RCMP), war veterans, and inmates of federal
Most of us take for granted our yearly dental check-up and there is a surprisingly large number of people who avoid going to the dentist and are even afraid to step into the reception area of a dental clinic. Perhaps this is due to the fact that some of our visits to the tooth fairy doctor turn out to be such a traumatic experience that mars our lives forever, or it could simply be our mental prejudice talking us out of going into that clinic and taking essential care of our precious teeth.