Aug. 11, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Political parties commit to doing more to protect oral health of Nova Scotians
Dentists prioritize need for improved senior, special needs, and youth oral health policy

BEDFORD, NS – Nova Scotia political parties have committed to doing more to protect the oral health of the province’s seniors, children, and those with special health needs.

The Nova Scotia Dental Association (NSDA) contacted the province’s political parties earlier this summer looking for their support and positions on the following three oral health policy priorities:

• Enhanced dental care for seniors and special needs populations;
• Improving the existing children’s dental care program so it works better for patients and providers and reduces early childhood tooth decay;
• Promoting the importance of preventative oral healthcare.

“Nova Scotia’s dentists think we can collectively be doing more to protect the oral health of the province’s children, seniors, and those with special health needs, but we need government action to make these changes,” says Dr. Robert MacGregor, chair of the NSDA’s government relations working group. “Good oral health is essential for overall health and we are happy to receive a commitment from these parties to make oral health a priority by improving existing programs and targeting those who need the care most.”

NSDA received replies from the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, and the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia.

All parties agreed on the need for changes to the Children’s Oral Health program, and to working with the Association on solutions for seniors’ dental care and improving the existing dental program for people with special needs, as well as supporting promotion of community water fluoridation.

While the three political parties are committed to doing more to protect the oral health of Nova Scotians, each party has unique perspectives and approaches.

The Liberal Party of Nova Scotia is committed to addressing the challenges associated with the Children’s Oral Health Program and working with the NSDA and the provincial dental consultant to make changes to the Children’s Oral Health Program to focus on dental disease prevention.

The PC Party of Nova Scotia supports changing the provincial children’s dental care program to a needs-based program and commits to working with the NSDA to examine and re-focus the program to prevent more early childhood tooth decay.

The NS NDP support improving the provincial Children’s Oral Health Program and adequately funding it so the program operates fairly for both children and dentist providers. The NDP agrees that prevention needs to be front and centre in children’s dental care.

For more information and to read the responses from the political parties, visit: https://nsdental.org/your-oral-health-and-the-nova-scotia-election/

About the Nova Scotia Dental Association

The Nova Scotia Dental Association (NSDA) is a member-based organization serving the needs of more than 500 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:

Gill Costello
Communications Manager
Nova Scotia Dental Association
902-420-0088 ext. 2
communications.nsda@bellaliant.com