Further Investment Made to Improve Children�s Dental Health

More children in Newfoundland and Labrador can now access dental care as a result of an enhancement to the Children�s Dental Health Program, effective September 1. With an additional $2.3 million investment through the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Provincial Government has expanded the program to include 13- to 17-year-olds in families with low incomes.

�It is vital that our children have regular dental care to protect their overall health and well-being,� said the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health and Community Services. �Our government is committed to reducing the barriers that have historically restricted access to basic dental services for children in our province. By easing the financial burden for families with low incomes, this latest enhancement to the Children�s Dental Health Program will see many more children benefit from dental care.�

�The Poverty Reduction Strategy is about improving the quality of life for individuals and families with low incomes, including a comprehensive series of measures in the areas of education and training, employment, childcare, and health,� said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. �The expansion of the Children�s Dental Health Program is another positive step forward and will make a significant difference for many families throughout our province.�

The Children�s Dental Health Program provides universal access for eligible dental services for children age 12 years and under as well as for children age 13 to 17 years whose families are in receipt of income support benefits. With this latest enhancement included in Budget 2007, coverage will also extend effective September 1 to 13- to 17-year-olds living in families with low incomes. Families with an annual net income of $30,000 or less, but who are not in receipt of income support, qualify under this new category. These families must first apply for coverage through the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program.

�The Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association applauds the changes to the Children's Dental Health Program,� said Dr. Geoff Smith, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association. �Our plan, which is already the envy of provincial dental associations across the country, has now been made even better. We look forward to further collaborations with Minister Wiseman and the Department of Health and Community Services as we work together to improve the oral health of our citizens.�

Services covered for children 12 and under include examinations at six-month intervals; cleanings at 12-month intervals; fluoride applications for children ages six to 12 at 12-month intervals (except where the School Rinse Program is in place); some x-rays; routine fillings and extractions; and sealants. Sealants are new to the program, effective September 1. They are applied to adult molars when they first appear and act as a barrier to protect against bacteria which cause tooth decay.

Services covered for children 13 to 17 in families receiving income support or eligible families with low incomes include examinations every 24 months; some x-rays; routine fillings and extractions; and emergency examinations when a patient has pain, an infection or experienced trauma.

Brochures outlining the program, as well as the application form, can be obtained by visiting www.gov.nl.ca/health. As well, brochures and application forms will be distributed to all students in the school system in the coming weeks to help ensure parents and guardians are aware of the enhanced program.

Parents should discuss with their dentist if costs for a recommended treatment will be covered under the program.

For families with private insurance, the Provincial Government is the payer of last resort, covering the difference in cost for eligible services. For families without private insurance, coverage includes the entire cost of eligible dental services for children 12 years and under as well as for children 13 to 17 years whose families are in receipt of income support or have low incomes.

This newest enhancement follows significant improvements to the program made in September 2006, when the Provincial Government increased the contribution paid to dentists for dental services received by all children 12 years and under. This $4.1 million investment removed the financial burden carried by families in providing dental care to their children under 12 years of age. Combined with the most recent enhancement to the program, it is anticipated that approximately 74,000 children in the province will benefit.

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Media contact:
Glenda Power
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741
glendapower@gov.nl.ca

2007 08 31                                 9:05 a.m.