A new study has identified the provinces with the best access to dental care in Canada.
Alberta ranks third for dental care access with 62.65 dentists per 100,000 residents.
Ontario provides the best availability of dentists for its residents, with 68.44 dentists per 100,000 residents.
The study, conducted by dental experts at hellodent.com analyzed the distribution of dental professionals across all Canadian provinces and territories to determine which regions have the best access to oral healthcare.
The distribution of dental professionals was compared to local populations to calculate the availability per 100,000 residents, and also compared to geographies to calculate the density of dentists per 100,000 square kilometres.
The experts behind the study say residents in underserved areas not only face longer travel times to access dental care, but often experience higher costs and delayed treatment as a result. “This can lead to poorer oral health outcomes and complications that might have been prevented with regular access to dental professionals.”
“The data flags the need for initiatives like mobile dental clinics, telehealth services and incentives for dental professionals to practice in underserved areas. These could help bridge these gaps and improve oral health outcomes for all Canadians,” adds the experts behind the study.
