Better Dental Care for Children, People with Special Needs
Children and some people with special needs can soon get more preventive dental care through the Province’s dental programs.
A new agreement between the Province and dentists allows dentists to bill the Province separately for scaling for children aged 14 years and younger and people in the Individuals with Special Needs Oral Health Program (for people diagnosed with an intellectual disability). Scaling is a type of cleaning that goes below the gum line to remove plaque.
The Province will also cover the cost of sedation and silver diamine fluoride application, which stops the spread of cavities, as part of the Children’s Oral Health Program and the special needs program.
“As a government, we are committed to improving access to dental care for children in Nova Scotia,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness. “These changes allow for more preventative care for children and, when necessary, more advanced dental treatments closer to home.”
Under the new agreement, the Province will also cover the cost of dentists’ specialized training and mentorship that may be required when taking over the care of patients in the special needs program from a retiring dentist.
Coverage of the additional services and training costs is effective July 4.
The agreement will increase some fees paid under the Children’s Oral Health Program and Individuals with Special Needs Oral Health Program to ensure consistency across all services. The additional cost of the agreement is estimated to be about $4.7 million in the first year, including about $935,000 for the new scaling coverage.
The Insured Dental Services Tariff Regulations will be updated to reflect the changes in the agreement. As well, the Employment Support and Income Assistance program at the Department of Community Services will pay dentists the same fees for emergency dental services as the Department of Health and Wellness.
The changes announced today, June 12, support Action for Health, the Province’s plan to improve healthcare, by providing the care Nova Scotians need and deserve by improving access to dental care for children and vulnerable groups.
Quotes:
“We are very pleased to see the commitment the Government of Nova Scotia is making to the oral health of children in this province. Prevention is key to good oral health, which starts early in life, and coverage for services like sedation and fluoride will support better access to care. A healthy mouth plays a vital part in overall health and wellbeing, which is why the Nova Scotia Dental Association supports all investments like those announced today.”
– Juli Waterbury, President, Nova Scotia Dental Association
Quick Facts:
- the Children’s Oral Health Program covers basic dental care for children aged 14 and younger who have a valid MSI health card number
- once a year, the program covers one routine dental exam, two routine X-rays, at least one topical fluoride treatment and one cavity prevention service
- fillings, necessary extractions and nutritional counselling are also covered the program
- Nova Scotians must use their private insurance first, when applicable, before the program will provide coverage
Additional Resources:
Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/
Mandate letter of the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf
Nova Scotia’s dental programs: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/dental-programs/