Dental visits returning to levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic among Canadians in the provinces, 2023-2024
Released: 2024-08-27
According to the first results from the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS), approximately three in four Canadians aged 12 years and older (72%) reported during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had visited an oral health professional in the past year. This was down from 75% in 2018 but up from 65% in 2022.
First ever national oral health survey
Oral health is a critical component of well-being, affecting physical and psychological health throughout people's lives. Routine dental visits play an important role in maintaining oral health. The Canadian Dental Association suggests that dental visits every six months are adequate for most people. However, the recommended frequency of visits depends on an individual's needs and risk of oral diseases.
Many Canadians had difficulties accessing health care services or avoided non-emergency dental treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic because of fear of exposure to the virus. This led to the postponement of dental services.
The COHS is the first-ever national survey dedicated to oral health in Canada. It was conducted in the provinces from November 2023 to March 2024.
The survey was developed to address key oral health data gaps in Canada and to provide data to help inform new federal investments in dental care, including the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
The survey covered several key aspects of oral health, including individuals' ability to pay for oral health care, experiences with the oral health care system, challenges finding oral health services, self-reported oral health, and care needs. This release focuses on recent dental visits and dental insurance coverage.
School-aged children and youth most likely to have visited an oral health professional in the past year
Just under three in four Canadians (72%) reported during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had visited an oral health professional in the previous 12 months.
School-aged children and youth aged 6 to 17 years (about 88%) were most likely to have visited an oral health care professional in the previous 12 months, while children younger than 6 years (52%) were least likely to have seen one.
Among adults, those aged 18 to 64 years (about 75%) were most likely to have visited an oral health professional in the previous 12 months, followed by those aged 65 to 79 years (69%) and 80 years and older (55%).
These differences are consistent with the trends reported in previous years.
Canadians with dental insurance coverage are much more likely to see an oral health professional than those without insurance
Canadians with private or public dental insurance (81%) were much more likely to report during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had visited an oral health professional in the past year than those without insurance (56%).
These results are in line with recent reports that identified dental insurance as an independent predictor of accessing dental care among adults, seniors and children and youth, even after controlling for other factors.
Dental insurance is much more prevalent among Canadian youth than among seniors
From November 2023 to March 2024, children aged 0 to 5 years (83%) were most likely to be covered by dental insurance, followed by youth aged 6 to 11 years (79%) and 12 to 17 years (77%).
In contrast, about one in three seniors aged 65 to 79 years living in private dwellings (38%) and one in four seniors aged 80 years and older living in private dwellings (25%) reported having dental insurance.
Albertans most likely to be covered by dental insurance, Quebecers least likely
From November 2023 to March 2024, Canadians living in population centres (67%) were more likely to have dental insurance coverage than those living in rural areas (56%).
Canadians living in Quebec (53%) were the least likely to have dental insurance.
Dental insurance coverage in the other provinces ranged from 67% in New Brunswick, Ontario and British Columbia to 77% in Alberta.
Canadians more likely to report having dental insurance coverage compared with two years earlier, but proportion remains just below pre-pandemic level
Just under two-thirds (64%) of Canadians aged 12 years and older reported during the period from November 2023 to March 2024 that they had dental expenses covered by dental insurance, just below pre-pandemic levels (65% in 2018) but up from 2022 (61%).
This decline in insurance coverage is likely related to the decrease in dental visits seen from 2018 to 2024. However, many other factors affect access to dental care, including the availability of oral health care providers, the accessibility of dental offices, accommodation for patients' specific needs and acceptability (i.e., mutual comfort between patient and oral health professional).
Chart 1
Percentage of reported visits to an oral health professional in the previous 12 months for Canadians 12 years and older, by gender, Canada, excluding territories
Chart 2
Insurance status of Canadians aged 12 years and older at the time of the survey, Canada, excluding territories
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Note to readers
Cycle 1 of the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS) is a voluntary annual household survey that collects information directly from Canadians on their oral health.
The target population for the COHS consists of Canadian households with adults aged 18 years and older living in the provinces. Where applicable, responding adults also provided information for all household members aged 17 years and younger.
It excludes people living in the territories and on reserves and in other Indigenous settlements in the provinces, as well as the institutionalized population.
Past results presented here for comparisons over time are from other health surveys: results for 2007 to 2009 are from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, and results for 2018 and 2022 are from the Canadian Community Health Survey. It is important to note that each of these surveys asked about respondents' last visit to an oral health professional in different ways. The COHS specifically mentioned visits to any oral health professional, including dentists, denturists, dental hygienists and any other dental specialists. However, the other surveys did not specify which oral health professionals were included in their questions.
Dental insurance is defined as having all or part of respondents' dental expenses covered by any insurance plan or government program. Private insurance includes plans through an employer (including those partially paid or sponsored by an employer), private plans (including personally purchased plans) and plans through colleges and universities. Public dental insurance includes government-paid plans (e.g., children's or seniors' dental programs, the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, and the Non-Insured Health Benefits program for First Nations people and Inuit, which includes individuals living on and off reserves).
Population centres are areas with a high concentration of people, such as large towns or cities. These areas consist of nearby communities that are economically and socially connected and usually have a population of at least 10,000 people. In contrast, rural areas are those with a population of fewer than 10,000 people.
This preliminary release includes several variables from the COHS related to dental visits, insurance, and awareness of publicly funded programs. The full release of the COHS data is anticipated this fall. It will include all data from the survey and provide additional insights on oral health care access and self-reported oral health status in Canada.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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