According to new data from Statistics Canada, more than a million Albertans do not go to the dentist regularly.
Only 70.9% of people living in Alberta said they had been there in the last 12 months, according to the federal agency. The national average is 72.2%.
Dental care in Alberta is quite expensive. The most expensive in the country, says Shannon Hawryluk, a Calgary dental hygienist, adding that many people, even those with insurance, may be underinsured.
The dental bus teams which provide free care to Calgarians, a program of Alex Community’s Health Centre, are currently meeting high demand, according to the dental hygienist who also manages this program.
More schools are contacting us requesting our services. And the volume of consent forms coming back to us is greater than before, she says, explaining that she thought the new Canadian Dental Care Plan was going to be accessible to everyone this year.
Seniors and children who do not have dental insurance and whose household income is less than $90,000 may have access.
However, Premier Danielle Smith has affirmed that the province will withdraw from this regime in 2026.
With information from Brendan Coulter
