The use of dental care services in Alberta, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador: A comparative analysis

Public support for dental care in Canada is uniform. Universal coverage and access to health care in the country are narrowly limited to hospital-based and physician-based services—“medically necessary services.” In view of the variations in public support programs for dental care, our study examines differences in the use of dental care services among different socio-economic groups in Alberta, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The study used 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey data. Our analyses find that in all the three provinces persons of lower socio-economic status have lower utilization of dental care. However, the study further reveals that the gaps between age and household income groups was wider in Newfoundland and Labrador compared to the other provinces. These findings suggest that public support for dental care reduces socio-economic disparities in the use of dental services.