Canadian kids need more access to dental care

Canadian pediatric dentists are advocating better access to dental care for the country's youth, citing growing rates of caries among children in poor and remote areas.

The number of Canadian children with caries is rising, according to the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS). Nearly 60% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 have had a cavity, and extractions affected by caries are the most common surgical procedure among preschoolers in Canadian pediatric hospitals.

Canadian dental care varies considerably, the CPS noted. In Alberta and British Columbia, children and youth from low-income families are eligible for basic dental coverage up to 18 years, while in Nova Scotia similar coverage ends at age 10.

The CPS wants provincial/territorial governments to work with dental associations and leaders to develop an oral health strategy to ensure that all children have access to quality dental care.