Government of Canada invests in research to improve dental care for Canadians
News release
October 13, 2022 – Montreal, Quebec – Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Oral health is a major contributor to overall health and well-being. Researchers have found links between oral health and many systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, various types of cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, arthritis, diabetes, and cognitive diseases. Evidence has also shown that socioeconomic factors, including income, education, employment, are determinants of oral health. The Government of Canada is taking steps to develop a Canada-wide dental care program to improve access for those that need it the most. We are also investing in research to better understand oral health conditions and develop more effective treatments.
Today, Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance announced, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, a new investment of $2 million over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to support an established national research network that will advance oral health science in Canada and help improve dental care for Canadians.
The Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR) is led by Dr. Ana Miriam Velly, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences at McGill University and a researcher at the Lady Davis Institute, the research arm of the Jewish General Hospital. With the support of the new funding from CIHR, Dr. Velly and her team will work together with scientists, health care providers, industry partners, and patient representatives across the country, to spearhead new discoveries and strengthen existing approaches for improving and maintaining oral health. This national network will also support the training of the next generation of oral health researchers and clinicians with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. These trainee’s activities will be supported by the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry, the Canadian Association of Dental Research, the Canadian Dental Association, and the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association.
In addition to investing in NCOHR, CIHR is also supporting research and policy development with an oral health data platform created through a partnership with Statistics Canada. The platform houses oral health data collected from the Canadian Health Measures Survey. It will allow researchers to address questions related to oral health and health care and the links between oral health and overall health. The NCOHR was crucial to setting up the research team for the platform and will be essential in ensuring that oral health researchers, their trainees and others use the data platform to understand the oral health of Canadians better.
In addition to supporting research, the Government of Canada has introduced legislation that proposes a new, temporary Canada Dental Benefit as the first step in developing a national dental care program. This benefit would provide dental care for uninsured Canadians with a family income of less than $90,000 annually, to make oral health care accessible to children under 12 years old in 2022.
Quotes
“Oral health is just as important as healthy eating and being active when it comes to preventing chronic diseases. Supporting research and making oral health care more accessible is a top priority for our government. That’s why we introduced legislation to help children under 12 improve their oral health, and, today, we are supporting the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research. This research will help us improve dental care by better understanding oral health conditions and developing more effective treatments.”
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
“Having access to quality dental care is an integral part of overall health. Seeing a dental care professional is important for our health, but it can also be expensive. Today, I want to congratulate Dr. Velly and her team for their commitment to strengthening capacity for oral health research in Canada. The work that will be done at the Jewish General Hospital here in Montreal and institutions across the country will collaborate to improve dental care and the overall health of Canadians.”
Rachel Bendayan
Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finan
“CIHR’s Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis recognizes that oral health research has been sequestered from traditional health research for too long. The Network for Canadian Oral Health Research is a vibrant, inclusive, research collective that will continue to provide solutions to benefit the oral health, and overall wellbeing, of all Canadians.”
Dr. Karim Khan
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
“ There is no healthy body without oral health. NCOHR’s mandate is to promote and support oral health research excellence, which is critical to ensure a high level of oral health and care for all Canadians”
Dr. Ana Miriam Velly
Director, Network for Canadian Oral Health Research
Associate Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University
Investigator, Department of Dentistry, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital
Quick facts
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Good oral health is an important part of overall health.
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Seeing a dentist is important to maintain good oral health, but it can be expensive. A third of Canadians currently do not have dental insurance, and in 2018, more than one in five Canadians reported avoiding dental care because of the cost.
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The Government of Canada has proposed a new, temporary Canadian Dental Benefit. This would allow children under 12 who do not have access to dental care insurance to get the dental care they need while the Government develops a comprehensive, long-term national dental care program.
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The Government is also supporting oral health research with $2 million in new funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to support the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research. The Network will support research, training, and knowledge sharing to improve oral health care for Canadians.
Associated links
Contacts
Marie-France Proulx
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada's health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.
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