Enrolment Easier for Healthy Smiles Ontario
Written by admin, January 19, 2016
January 19, 2016 – Eligible Residents Can Now Sign Up at Service Ontario
Changes that took effect January 1, 2016 now make it easier for parents to find out if their children aged 17 years and under qualify for free dental care under the newly integrated Healthy Smiles Ontario program.
“Good oral health is essential to good overall health as it affects children’s self-esteem and sense of well-being,” said Sarah Tanner, Program Manager of Oral Health Services at Peterborough Public Health. “Children who experience dental pain have a harder time sleeping and learning at school, so making it easier for them to access free dental care when the cost is a barrier is one of the most significant investments we can make for a healthier society.”
According to Public Health’s 2013 Oral Health in Peterborough Report, one-third of local residents are not covered by dental insurance, and fewer people with low incomes had dental insurance compared to those with higher incomes. Each year, there is an average of 1,000 emergency department visits in Peterborough for oral health issues.
Ms. Tanner explained that Healthy Smiles Ontario has been streamlined to encompass all publicly funded dental programs for youth. Enrolment in this program has also been centralized across the province so parents can contact any Service Ontario centre or go online to www.ontario.ca/healthysmiles to find out if their children qualify or to register. Residents can also contact Peterborough Public Health for help by calling 705-743-1000 or by visiting the Community Dental Health Centre in Peterborough Square.
Children 17 and under are automatically eligible and automatically enrolled in Healthy Smiles Ontario when they or their family receive: Ontario Works, Temporary Care Assistance, Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities or the Ontario Disability Support Program. Children and youth with other dental insurance coverage are no longer automatically excluded.
For further information, please visit www.ontario.ca/healthysmiles or call Service Ontario toll-free 1-844-296-6306.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence, Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391