Cambrian College gets $2.6 million to create dental assisting program

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Cambrian College will receive $2.6 million from the federal government to develop northeastern Ontario’s first Level II dental assisting program.  

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This project is part of federal funding of more than $35 million over three years for 30 projects under the Oral Health Access Fund, Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe said in a release on Friday.

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Projects like these will improve training for oral health students by allowing them to obtain the hands-on experience they need to provide care to Canadians across the country while strengthening efforts to improve access to care.

“Today’s announcement is great news for families in our region,” Lapointe said. “With new investments in training at Cambrian College, we’re strengthening our local health workforce and ensuring more people can get the dental care they need close to home.”

Level II dental assistants in Ontario can perform both extra-oral and intra-oral duties, including chairside assistance during dental procedures (fillings, crowns, extractions); infection prevention and control and instrument sterilization; selective coronal polishing, the application of fluoride and pit/fissure sealants; teeth whitening procedures; oral hygiene instruction; and radiography and lab duties.

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In announcing the money for Cambrian, the Liberal government also extolled the virtues of its Canadian Dental Care Plan. The government said the plan now covers close to six million Canadians, including more than 2.3 million people in Ontario. More than 1.4 million people have already received care from participating providers.

The government said the dental plan is making life more affordable by saving eligible Canadians an average of $800 per year on their oral health care services. 

The Liberals also said more than 27,000 oral health providers are participating in the plan by offering a wide range of services, such as cleanings, fillings and dentures, representing close to 100 per cent of active providers in Canada. 

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For some patients, “it is their first time seeing an oral health provider in decades,” the government said. “Without access to dental care, many people visit the emergency rooms for dental issues, which could be treated in a dental office.

“By providing better access to care, the (dental plan) is helping to ease pressure on Canada’s health care system.”

Health Minister Marjorie Michel said the plan is working “because of the commitment and participation of almost all oral providers across the country. Our support to new training projects will not only empower the next generation of oral health professionals but also contribute to lower costs for families.”

“Dental care should never be out of reach,” added Patty Hajdu, the minister of Jobs and Families and the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario. “Thanks to the Canadian Dental Care Plan, millions of Canadians now have access to the treatments they need to maintain a healthy smile.”

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