The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) has called for a fundamental overhaul of how dental care is delivered to communities in Canada's North, highlighting persistent oral health disparities that leave Indigenous and remote populations without adequate access to basic dental services. CDA CEO Aaron Burry has stated that the current delivery model is failing these communities and that systemic change is needed.
As of May 2026, oral health outcomes for First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada remain significantly worse than the national average. The CDA's public statements, backed by decades of data, point to a structural problem: the conventional model of delivering dental care — built around urban and suburban private practices — simply does not function in remote areas where geography, infrastructure, and workforce gaps create compounding barriers.
The Scale of the Problem
Dental care delivery in Canada's North faces challenges that most practitioners in Toronto, Mississauga, or Vaughan never encounter. Many communities in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, northern Ontario, and other remote regions have no permanent dental clinic at all. Care is provided through fly-in programs where dentists and hygienists visit for short periods — sometimes just a few days every several months. Between visits, patients with acute dental pain, infections, or trauma may have no option other than extraction performed by a general physician or nurse practitioner, or an expensive medivac flight south.
The CDA has noted that First Nations and Inuit communities experience rates of early childhood caries, tooth loss, and dental disease that are dramatically higher than the Canadian average. Children in these communities are often anaesthetized in hospital operating rooms for extensive dental treatment — a costly and traumatic experience that could be avoided with adequate preventive care and regular access to dental professionals.
Why the Current Model Falls Short
Workforce Recruitment and Retention
Attracting dental professionals to practice in remote northern communities is extraordinarily difficult. The challenges include geographic isolation, extreme climate, limited housing, high cost of living, and separation from family and professional networks. While some federal and provincial programs offer financial incentives for northern service, these have not been sufficient to create a stable dental workforce in most remote communities.
Pro Tip: New dental graduates looking for meaningful clinical experience and loan repayment assistance should investigate the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program and provincial northern incentive programs. A two-year northern placement provides unmatched clinical volume and can accelerate debt reduction significantly.
Infrastructure Gaps
Even when dental professionals are willing to serve in the North, many communities lack the physical infrastructure for a dental clinic. Equipment maintenance, sterilization compliance, and supply logistics in remote areas are far more complex and expensive than in urban settings. Autoclaves require reliable power and water supply. Dental materials must be shipped by air, often at several times the cost of ground transport. Digital imaging equipment may not function reliably in extreme cold without climate-controlled facilities.
Cultural Competency and Trust
The legacy of residential schools and systemic mistreatment of Indigenous peoples by Canadian institutions has created deep-seated mistrust of healthcare providers in many communities. Rotating dental teams who visit briefly and leave may struggle to build the trusting relationships that encourage patients to seek preventive care rather than waiting until pain becomes unbearable. The CDA has emphasized that dental care delivery in the North must be culturally safe and community-directed.
What the CDA Is Proposing
CDA CEO Aaron Burry has outlined several areas where change is needed:
- Expanded use of dental therapists and community health workers: Training members of local communities in dental therapy can provide a stable, culturally connected workforce that does not depend on fly-in programs
- Teledentistry infrastructure: Remote diagnostic consultations can triage cases, provide preventive guidance, and reduce unnecessary patient transfers. Investment in reliable broadband connectivity is a prerequisite
- Portable and modular dental equipment: Modern portable dental units can deliver care in community centres, schools, and mobile clinics without requiring permanent infrastructure
- Increased federal and provincial funding: The CDA has called on governments to increase investment in northern dental infrastructure, workforce incentives, and community-based prevention programs
The CDCP and Northern Access
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), which has been rolling out across Canada, has the potential to improve access for northern residents who meet eligibility criteria. However, insurance coverage alone does not solve the access problem when there are no providers available to deliver care. The CDA has noted that CDCP eligibility means little in a community with no dental clinic and no regular dental professional visits.
For the CDCP to have meaningful impact in the North, it must be paired with investments in provider supply and infrastructure. Without these parallel investments, the program risks creating coverage on paper that does not translate into actual care delivered.
Pro Tip: Ontario dentists interested in contributing to northern access can explore the NIHB dental provider program or connect with organizations like the Canadian Association of Hospital Dentists (CAHD) for locum opportunities in northern facilities.
Lessons from Other Jurisdictions
Canada is not alone in grappling with rural and remote dental access challenges. Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service includes dental teams that serve outback communities. New Zealand has long employed dental therapists — mid-level providers who deliver preventive and basic restorative care — in underserved areas. Several Canadian provinces, including Saskatchewan, have historical experience with dental therapy programs that could inform a renewed approach.
The CDA has pointed to these international models as evidence that alternative delivery systems can work when there is political will and sustained investment.
What This Means for Dental Professionals Across Canada
For dentists, hygienists, and practice owners in urban centres like Toronto, Brampton, Markham, and Scarborough, the challenges facing Canada's North may seem distant. But the CDA's advocacy affects the profession nationally. Policy decisions about scope of practice for dental therapists, teledentistry regulations, and public dental program design in the North often set precedents that influence practice across all provinces.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), Ontario Dental Association (ODA), and other provincial bodies will likely be part of the conversation as the CDA pushes for systemic change. Dental professionals in Ontario and beyond should stay engaged with these discussions, whether through professional association memberships, continuing education on cultural competency, or direct participation in northern outreach programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is dental care so difficult to access in Canada's North?
Most northern and remote communities lack permanent dental clinics due to geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, extreme climate, and chronic difficulty recruiting dental professionals. Care is often delivered through short-term fly-in programs, leaving long gaps between available appointments.
Q: What is the CDA recommending to improve northern dental care?
The Canadian Dental Association is advocating for expanded use of dental therapists trained from local communities, teledentistry infrastructure, portable dental equipment, and increased government funding for northern dental programs and workforce incentives.
Q: How does the CDCP affect dental access in remote communities?
The Canadian Dental Care Plan provides insurance coverage for eligible Canadians, but coverage alone does not create access where there are no dental providers. The CDA has emphasized that CDCP must be paired with investments in provider supply and clinic infrastructure to have real impact in the North.
EBIKO Dental will continue monitoring the CDA's advocacy for improved dental care delivery in Canada's North and will report on policy developments that affect the profession.