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HomeNewsNew Dental Care Program for low income seniors announced

New Dental Care Program for low income seniors announced

KAWARTHA LAKES-Ontario has announced a new program is available to seniors to help them better access dental care.

The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP) is a new publicly-funded dental care program for low-income seniors. The OSDCP can help ensure seniors get regular checkups, an important consideration when they have increased risk for dental decay, gum disease and oral cancer. At least two-thirds of low-income seniors do not have access to dental insurance according to the health Unit.

According to the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit approximately  4,000 seniors could be eligible for the OSDCP in Northumberland County, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes.

 “Oral health has a direct impact on overall health,” says Pam Stuckless, Director of Health Promotion with the HKPR District Health Unit. “This new dental-support program will provide more seniors with access to the dental care they need to prevent more serious problems down the road.”

 Who is Eligible?

  • To be eligible for the OSDCP, an Ontario senior aged 65 years and older must have annual income less than $19,300.
  • For couples, the combined income must be less than $32,300 per year.
  • Program applicants cannot have existing dental benefits.

 What dental services are covered by the program?

  • Dental services will include preventive care and treatment services, such as fillings and extractions.

 Where can seniors apply?

  • Seniors can visit www.ontario.ca/SeniorsDental to apply online or print off a hard-copy form. Forms will also be available online at Service Ontario (www.ontario.ca/forms).
  • Print copies of the application form will be available at Health Unit offices in Port Hope, Lindsay and Haliburton.
  • A provincial processing centre will review all application forms and notify seniors who qualify for the program.

 Seniors who want more information or help to fill in applications can call the Health Unit at 1-866-888-4577, ext. 1247.

 </pphoto credit: Dr. Partha Sarathi Sahana a tooth via photopin (license)

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Pamela Vanmeer
Pamela Vanmeerhttps://www.kawartha411.ca/
Pamela VanMeer is a two time winner of the prestigious Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Award. Her investigative reports on abuse in Long Term Care Homes garnered international attention for the issue and won the Ron Laidlaw Award. She is a former reporter and anchor at CHEX News, now Global Peterborough and helped launch the New CHEX Daily, a daily half hour talk show. While at CHCH News in Hamilton she covered some of the biggest news stories of the day.

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