With the federal dental care benefits plan slowly rolling out, the Yukon NDP has called on the territorial government to keep the made-in-the-Yukon plan, in place since January 2023.

“We have heard from dentists that this plan works, that it’s truly universal dental care that has already and demonstrably changed the lives and smiles of many people living in the Yukon,” party leader Kate White said Monday.

She said the new federal plan is not as good as the Yukon plan, as it requires patients to pay up front and does not give patients the right to choose which dentist to use, among other things.

“It will be a huge loss for Yukoners” if the government switches over to the federal plan, she said.

Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said the government is committed to ensuring that dental care is accessible for Yukoners. She agreed that the Yukon program is extremely successful.

As for the federal program, it’s not yet determined how it will work with the Yukon program.

The federal government has said it is open to each territory administrating its own dental care provided their coverage is at least equal to the Canadian program, White said.

“I will remind this government that it’s a core principle as to why the NDP agreed to the Confidence and Supply Agreement in 2021.” (It ensures the Liberal minority government can hold power.)

McPhee said Yukon government officials continue to work with Health Canada to determine the implications of their program and how Yukoners can best be served.

NDP MLA Annie Blake then reminded McPhee of two recent incidents where the health
 system couldn’t deal with severe dental problems.

In one, a Whitehorse woman had to crowd-source for funds to pay for emergency dental surgery Outside, as many costs weren’t covered by the Yukon Health Insurance Plan per its policies.

In another, a Dawson City man tried to pull out a painful tooth himself since there is no longer a dentist in the community and he couldn’t afford to travel to Whitehorse.

McPhee said there is a review of the dental policy underway, triggered by the incident.

She said the new Yukon Health Authority will be better placed to handle these incidents in future because it will “put patients at the centre of the work that is being done with respect to health care and the improvements that are necessary in this territory.”

As for the Dawson incident, “There are medical travel services available when individuals require medical care that is not available in their home or near enough to their home and they need to travel to do so.”

As of February, McPhee said, a total of 1,757 people have been enrolled in the Yukon dental program.

Of those enrolled, a total of 1,156 Yukoners have received dental care, and applications are being processed within four to five days, with urgent care applications being processed the same day.

The Yukon Dental Program provides up to $1,300 per year to individuals without dental coverage. Eligibility is tied to income.

More information is available at https://yukon.ca/dentalprogram