Bedford, NS — Oral health is an essential component of overall health, yet in Nova Scotia it remains largely siloed from the broader provincial health system. This fragmentation contributes to gaps in care, poorer health outcomes, and unnecessary costs.
Nova Scotia Dental Association’s (NSDA) 2026 Oral Health Report recommends three priority strategies to improve oral health integration across the health system:
• Enhanced medical-dental collaboration
• Shared electronic health records (EHRs)
• Improved access to hospital operating room (OR) time for dental procedures
“Together, these improvements will better align Nova Scotia’s oral health services with contemporary evidence, reduce disparities, and contribute to more efficient, equitable health care delivery,” said Steve Jennex, Executive Director of the NSDA.
Nova Scotia currently has three major challenges in oral health integration. Unlike other health care services, dental care in Nova Scotia typically requires private payment or private insurance. This separation limits coordination between dental and medical providers, reduces consistent screening for systemic diseases linked to oral conditions, and contributes to delayed diagnosis and treatment for some.
Secondly, patients with complex medical needs (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer) often navigate between dental and medical providers without integrated care planning. This can lead to conflicting treatment plans, missed opportunities for preventive intervention, and inefficiencies in care delivery.
And finally, certain dental procedures (e.g., medically complex extractions, sedation dentistry for people with special needs) require hospital OR time and anesthesia services. Currently, access to OR time in Nova Scotia for dental needs is insufficient, leading to long wait times and avoidable complications.
“The Nova Scotia Dental Association is calling on the Province of Nova Scotia and key partners to launch provincial initiatives to formalize medical–dental collaboration in primary care settings, develop a roadmap for shared EHR implementation, including pilot projects and governance frameworks,” said Dr. Caleb Porter, President of the NSDA.
“Further, the NSDA advocates for establishing dedicated hospital OR time for dental cases annually, with transparent criteria and monitoring.”
According to Dr. Porter, oral health must be recognized as an integral component of overall health.
“Strengthening collaboration across disciplines, enabling shared health records, and providing equitable access to necessary surgical environments will improve health outcomes for Nova Scotians, save health system resources, and uphold the province’s commitment to high-quality, equitable care,” said Dr. Porter.
Read the full 2026 Oral Health Report here.
About the Nova Scotia Dental Association
The Nova Scotia Dental Association (NSDA) is a member-based organization serving the needs of more than 600 dentist members across the province. As a not-for-profit organization, the NSDA has been the voice for dentistry in Nova Scotia since 1891. Our mission is dentists helping dentists.
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Media Contact:
David Salter
Communications Manager
Nova Scotia Dental Association
902-420-0088 ext. 2
communications.nsda@bellaliant.com