alPHa Position
Good dental/oral health is essential to maintaining overall health. alPHa believes that dental health should be treated similarly to any other health care service that is provided by the province, with strong public programs for universal access to treatment
and preventive dental health services, particularly early in life.
PLEASE ALSO SEE OUR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH PAGE FOR RESOLUTIONS ON LOW-INCOME DENTAL PROGRAMS
Developments on A17-1
December 17, 2019
alPHa has sent a letter to the new federal Minister of Health congratulating her on her appointment and outlining how alPHa's work aligns with elements of her mandate. This resolution is attached.
November 21, 2019
alPHa has sent a letter congratulating the Minister of Health for the implementation of
the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.
October 18, 2019
alPHa has sent a letter to the Minister of Health that endorses the recommendations for
the implementation and design of a Low Income Seniors’ Dental Plan that were submitted in July as a White Paper by the Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry, Alliance for Healthier Communities, and Ontario Oral Health Alliance.
July 2019
A white paper outlining recommendations for the implementation of the Ontario Seniors Dental Care
Program (OSDCP) that was developed by a group of oral health experts representing Public Health Units, the Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry and the Ontario Oral Health Alliance has been sent to
the Minister of Health.
March 28 2018
As part of the 2018 Ontario Budget, the Government has announced extended health benefits for the 1 in 4 working-age Ontarians (and 60% of seniors) who do not have access through employers or government
programs, including a new Ontario Drug and Dental Program that will be launched in the summer of 2019. alPHa has sent a letter in response to the Budget that includes reference to this resolution.
January 5 2018
A joint letter from alPHa and OPHA has been sent to the Minister of Community and Social Services that provides feedback on the recently-released report, Income Security: A Roadmap for Change.
December 7 2017
The Minister of Community and Social Services has received a report entitled Income Security: A Roadmap for Change. Recommendations include adoption of a minimum
income standard, expansion of prescription drug coverage to adults 25 to 65, Expanding Healthy Smiles Ontario to adults age 18 to 65 and reforming social assistance.
July 21 2017
A letter from the alPHa President has been sent to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing
this resolution.
Developments on A17-6
July 21 2017
A letter from the alPHa President has been sent to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
introducing this resolution.
Resolution A14-4, A Provincial Approach to Community Water Fluoridation
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THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to amend regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act to require community water fluoridation for all municipal water systems (when source-water levels are
below the Health Canada-recommended level of 0.7 mg/L) to prevent dental caries; AND FURTHER that the Province provide the funding and technical support to municipalities required for community water fluoridation.
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Developments on A14-4:
May 4 2018
alPHa has transmitted a letter to the Windsor City Clerk in support of the WECHU 2018 Oral Health update, which among other things will ask for the re-introduction of community water fluoridation in Windsor.
October 15 2016
alPHa has sent a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing reminding him of alPHa's position
that the Province should take responsibility for community water fluoridation, as stated in MPP Bob Delaney's October 6 motion in the Ontario Legislature.
October 6 2016
MPP Bob Delaney made Private Members’ Notice of Motion No. 27 in the Ontario Legislature,
"That, in the opinion of this House, the Province of Ontario, upon passage of this resolution, act to replace the outdated Fluoridation Act with an updated section of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, and remove the portions of the Ontario Municipal
Act that allow a municipality to either opt out of fluoridation of its drinking water once the process has started, or to fail to start the fluoridation of municipal drinking water; and that the Province of Ontario work with municipalities to provide
financial and technical assistance to Ontario cities and towns to begin water fluoridation, or to continue and upgrade fluoridation equipment and processes so that all Ontarians, to the fullest extent practicable, are protected with municipal drinking
water fluoridation". The motion was carried (NB, this is a motion of opinion and not the introduction of actual legislation).
January 15 2016
alPHa has sent a letter to the Minister of Heath and Long-Term Care and the CMOH thanking them for
their January 7 2016 correspondence to all heads of municipal council in support of community water fluoridation and urging them to consider alPHa's call via Resolution A14-4 to mandate and fund the practice. The Minister / CMOH letter
is included at the end.
December 9 2014
MPP Bob Delaney has developed a petition related to his November 27 motion, which calls on the Government of Ontario to amend all applicable legislation
and regulations to make the fluoridation of municipal drinking water mandatory in all municipal water systems across the Province of Ontario.
November 27th 2014
MPP Bob Delaney made a Private Member’s Motion regarding community water fluoridation. It was debated and passed in the Ontario Legislature, and you can read the transcript of the debate here (scroll down about 2/3 of the way down the page).
The motion passed was:
“That, in the opinion of this House, water fluoridation promotes good health, and the optimal concentration of fluoride in drinking water is essential to the health of Ontarians by minimizing tooth decay, and helping restore tooth enamel.”
August 27 2014
alPHa has written a letter to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing this and five other 2014 Resolutions for his support and action.
September 4 2014
alPHa has written a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing introducing this Resolution for his support
and action.
The following updates are related to the now-closed resolution A11-00 (please see below), which had a similar operative clause:
May 23 2012
alPHa has written a letter of congratulations and support for the Chief Medical Officer of Health's Special Report, Oral Health - More Than Just Cavities. Reference to this Resolution is included, as the Report makes access to fluoridated drinking water
a key recommendation. Please click here to read.
February 17 2011
alPHa has issued a press release stating its strong support for continuing fluoridation of municipal water, with more detailed background on the solid evidence supporting the practice and a list of similar statements by credible health-promoting organizations.
Please click here to read.
| CLOSED RESOLUTIONS |
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| Resolution:#A05-5, Access to Dental Care |
The operative clause of this resolution calls for a National Oral Health Strategy that includes universal access of both preventative and treatment services to all Canadians.
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Developments on #A05-5:
April 19, 2024
Resolution closed by alPHa Board of Directors.
Rationale: The alPHa Board determines that policy actions taken satisfy the intent of the Resolution even where the Operative Clause(s) have not been completely satisfied.
December 11, 2023
The Government of Canada has launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Once all phases are implemented (by 2025), the
CDCP will help ease financial barriers to accessing oral health care for up to nine million uninsured Canadian residents with an annual family income of less than $90,000.
November 20, 2023
The Ontario Dental Association (ODA), Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association (ODHA), and Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD) have drafted Considerations for Aligning Federal and Provincial Dental Programs to Improve Oral Health, which
offers considerations for the Ontario Ministry of Health and provincial oral health stakeholders for aligning federal and provincial dental programs. In addition, it provides context and outlines recommendations across eight key areas.
April 5, 2023
alPHa has sent a letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland from
the President of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) that thanks her for the dental health-related announcements in the 2023 federal budget and reminds her of our call for universal access to preventive and treatment
dental health services for all Canadians.
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Resolution: #A10-10, Dental Health for Low-Income Ontarians
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THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) call on the Government of Ontario to renew its original promise to provide its dental program for low income families, with a renewed focus on Ontario's low-income adults.
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Reason for Closure:
September 29 2017
The alPHa Board has closed this resolution as a more recent one builds upon and preserves the intent: pleqse see RESOLUTION A17-1, Access to Publicly Funded Oral Health Programs for Low-Income Adults and Seniors above.
Reason for Closure:
September 29 2017
The alPHa Board has determined that this Resolution, while it may speak to some unresolved issues, was made in a context whose relevance has declined over time. Developments on publicly-funded oral health programs continue to be listed under other related
active resolutions.
| ResolutionA13-2, The Healthy Smiles Ontario Program and the Overall Inequity within the Oral Health Care System
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THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies request the Government of Ontario to:
1. Increase the Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO) income cut-off threshold, which is currently adjusted family net income of $20,000 or less;
2. Remove the ‘no dental insurance’ eligibility criterion from the HSO program;
3. Streamline children’s dental treatment programs to make them more efficient, effective and equitable as recommended in Oral Health – More Than Just
Cavities. A Report by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, April 2012;
4. Extend provincial programs to include adults who need and cannot afford emergency dental care.
5. Continue to facilitate the partnerships between
local health units and community health centres to assist with the delivery of provincially funded oral health programs;
6. Continue ongoing, stable and indexed 100% provincial funding of the HSO program beyond the sunset date originally
announced (Fall 2013);
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Reason for Closure
September 29 2017
The alPHa Board has determined that this Resolution, while it may speak to some unresolved issues, was made in a context whose relevance has declined over time. Developments on publicly-funded oral health programs continue to be listed under other related active resolutions.
CLOSED Resolution:
A14-8, Maintaining Preventive Dental Services in the Ontario Public Health Standards
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THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies write to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care calling for the Province of Ontario to maintain the preventive dental services in the Ontario Public Health Standards so that all Ontario
children who qualify clinically and are from families who cannot afford this care at a fee for service clinic will be offered this public health service.
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Reason for Closure:
June 2 2015
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has released a status update on the ongoing work on the Low-Income Dental Integration, which confirms that Preventive Dental Services will remain part of the OPHS as the new Healthy Smiles Ontario program consolidates Ontario's six existing low-income dental programs.
CLOSED Resolution: Resolution A11-00 - Community Water Supply Fluoridation (Mid-Season Resolution)
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies strongly and publicly state its support for the practice of community water fluoridation as a proven, cost-effective, safe and equitable public health intervention
that significantly contributes to improving the overall health of the population. AND FURTHER THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to provide support, including provincial legislation and
funding to municipalities for the fluoridation of community drinking water.
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Reason for Closure:
October 1 2014
The alPHa Board of Directors has approved the closure of resolution A11-00 Community Water Supply
Fluoridation as a more recent alPHa resolution (A14-4) builds upon or preserves the intent. The main difference is that the newer resolution specifically
asks for legislation to require CWS fluoridation where appropriate.
| CLOSED Resolution: #A00-3: 100% Ministry Funding for CINOT |
Please note that this resolution is now closed, as alPHa has passed a more recent resolution with a similar operative clause (A07-11, above). The developments below are provided for a more complete history of this issue as addressed by alPHa.
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Developments on #A00-3
July 24 2006
alPHa has been invited by the Ministry of Health Promotion to participate in a consultation on the CINOT Schedule of Dental Services and Fees, and has written a letter outlining considerations as suggested by the Ontario Association
of Public Health Dentistry. Please click here to read
January 1 2006
New Schedules of Dental Benefits came into effect for the CINOT (Ministry of Health) and Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program (Ministry of Community and Social Services). Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry
(OAPHD) has been advocating for changes to the covered services for these programs since 2001. The main changes are that fees have been increased (and will continue to increase to a total of 8% over 3 years) and that more general anesthetic services
will be offered to some high needs client groups.
December 6, 2002
alPHa affiliate OAPHD met with Brenda Elliott, Minister of Community, Family and Social Services, over the proposed changes to CINOT.
November 1, 2002
Health Promotion Ontario, an affiliate of alPHa, wrote the Chief MOH on concerns with proposed changes to CINOT (i.e. fee increase for some services and removal of some services).
October 30, 2002
Received a reply from PHB thanking alPHa for its input and support of CINOT. The letter also corrected alPHa's reference to CINOT as a publicly funded dental insurance program; CINOT is in fact, says the PHB, a safety net program
for children with urgent dental conditions.
October 2, 2002
alPHa wrote the Chief MOH a letter of support for OAPHD's recommendation that the Ministry increase CINOT program fees to a reasonable level and does not reduce the range of services provided by CINOT in response to proposed changes
to CINOT program.
May 14, 2002
Sent a letter to Brenda Elliott, the new Minister of Community, Family and Children Services which was reviewed by OAPHD rep and alPHa board member Joyce Sinton.
March 19, 2002
Received a letter from Finance Minister Jim Flaherty that he has forwarded the resolution to Health Minister Tony Clement for consideration.
March 15, 2002
Received a reply from COMSOC Minister John Baird that mandatory basic dental care coverage was extended to children on the Ontario Works program for the first time in May 1998 and that he will keep alPHa's suggestion of a publicly-funded
dental program for children in mind in Cabinet discussions.
November 8, 2001
Received a reply from Chief MOH that there are no plans currently to change funding allocation for this 50:50 cost-shared program. He suggests that we contact the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Finance.
October 16, 2001
alPHa sent health unit budget figures on CINOT to Branch.
August 21, 2001
alPHa began collecting health unit figures on CINOT budgets with intent to submit these to the Public Health Branch.
February 9, 2001
Received a reply from Chief MOH indicating the Ministry will consider the resolution as part of its review of board of health grants.
August 29, 2000
Received a reply from Minister Witmer who forwarded the resolution to Chief MOH for a response.
Developments on #A07-10
April 4th, 2008
Resolution closed by the alPHa Board of Directors as the operative clause has been satisfied.
March 17, 2008
The Ontario government has announced its plan to provide dental services to low-income Ontarians with an investment of $135 million over three years, starting in 2008 — 09. The government will work with Public Health Units, Community Health Centres, dentists
and dental hygienists to deliver prevention and treatment services for low-income Ontarians, especially children.This investment will also expand the Children in Need of Treatment (CINOT) program. CINOT currently provides urgent dental care services
to children in low-income families from birth to Grade 8 or their fourteenth birthday, whichever is later. CINOT will now include children in low-income families until their eighteenth birthday.
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