Saskatchewan has Canada’s highest rate of dental care coverage: Statistics Canada

Saskatchewan is the most insured province when it comes to dental insurance at 63 per cent, according to the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey.

The survey’s results also show that a lower percentage of people living in Saskatchewan, 60 per cent, have reported having had a recent dental professional visit compared with other provinces.

Dr. Greg Konotopetz, who has 42 years of dentistry experience, said people approach dental care after a problem occurs.

“The emphasis needs to be on prevention with oral health and I think some people tend to go in spurts where they’ll pay attention to their oral health, they’ll get in stable condition and then they’ll forget about their oral health, and they’ll forget the regular visits,” he said.

Konotopetz said dental neglect is mainly attributed to fear and lack of awareness of what insurance benefits cover and that dentists need to communicate with their patients to discuss with their employers and insurance companies how much coverage they have.

“The dentist plays a huge role in mitigating many other things that can influence the body; heart problems, diabetes, even early onset dementia has a connection now,” he said.

According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan is Canada’s most insured province when it comes to dental insurance, but the province also ranks the second-lowest in visiting a dental professional.

Regina resident Angie Williams, who works for the federal government, said she has decent benefits from work and visits her dentist yearly. But if she did not have her work benefits, she thinks the yearly visits would likely not happen.

Williams said dental professionals need to engage in this conversation with their patients.

“There’s not a lot of information put forward, I don’t think,” she said. “I don’t remember seeing any and I wouldn’t even know what (that information) is.”

Konotopetz said gum disease is the number one thing people tend to see a dentist for, along with cavities.