June 10, 2024 | Ottawa, ON | Government of Canada
Regular visits to a dentist have been shown to reduce the risk of tooth decay, gum disease and other serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. Unfortunately, some people have to choose between paying their bills and taking care of their teeth, while others face barriers due to geographic distance, physical barriers to accessing a treatment facility or their specific needs. That’s why we support projects that explore new ways to break down barriers and give more people access to quality dental health care.
Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, launched an expression of interest process for the second round of funding for the Oral Health Access Fund (OHAF). The funding will support projects to improve access to oral health care in rural, remote and underserved areas and for underserved populations, and to increase public awareness of the importance of preventing dental disease and maintaining good dental health.
The expression of interest is open to non-profit and for-profit organizations, as well as other levels of government and their agencies. Eligible applicants are asked to submit their application using the form on the OHAF website by July 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full funding application in fall 2024.
Last month, Health Canada launched the first stream of the OHAF, for which the application process also closes on July 31, 2024. Stream 1 will help dental health training institutions address competency gaps in the knowledge and skills of students and/or dental health providers in treating target populations and adapt existing training to ensure students have sufficient hands-on training opportunities.
The OHAF complements the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) by investing in targeted interventions to close dental health gaps among vulnerable populations and reduce or eliminate non-financial barriers to access to health care, including in rural and remote communities.
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