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What is DIAC? The Dental Industry Association of Canada is a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to serve as a unified voice for the Canadian dental industry, and as a professional leader in our community. We support our members with networking events, collaborative projects, governmental advocacy, updates on regulatory affairs, education, market data, and other key resources. See the DIAC Member Directory and learn more about the benefits of joining us by visiting our Membership page. |
Exclusive DIAC Member Resources To access Health Canada and regulatory updates, Future of Dentistry SurveyTM – Research Findings, market data, educational and other professional resources exclusive to DIAC members (login required), click here. |
Click here to visit the Future of Dentistry Survey page! In order to access this FODS report, member login credentials are needed. If you don't have member privileges on the DIAC website, please email info@diac.ca to request access. |
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Meet our Newest DIAC Members |
Smilepass connects patients with instant, affordable, and personalized care while helping providers grow profitable practices. |
RBC Healthcare offers customized financial solutions and advice for medical and dental professionals, including students, residents, and practicing clinic owners. |
ELVA is your AI-powered team member, fully equipped to manage your clinic’s day-to-day operations. From handling phone calls and emails to replying to text messages and sending reminders. |
Alexio is an advanced cybersecurity organization, purpose-built for your dental practice, managed by Canada's most experienced certified professionals. |
See the full DIAC Member Directory here. |
- - - News and Updates on Regulatory Bulletins, Consultations 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report October 22, 2024 – CDC released the 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report: Dental Caries, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 2017–March 2020. This surveillance report uses the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to provide national estimates for the prevalence and severity of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth for those 2 years or older and for tooth retention and edentulism in adults 20 years or older. Click here to access the report. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 23, 2024 – Medtech is looking to update its pre-market licencing concerns report and submit to Health Canada in advance of its conference in April. Please update any licencing issues you have had since the last report in September! The report will be run after the March break. Survey link: https://forms.office.com/r/pBDmJsbSUm. Thank you! _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Reported need for and access to oral health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada February 8, 2024 – Statistics Canada published an article on the “Reported need for and access to oral health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada”. The article is an analysis of oral health data collected from Canadians (18+) living in the provinces from March-June 2021 in the 2021 Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic. Specifically, it focuses on the following questions:
The following are key findings and potential implications for the CDCP (in italics):
Source: Statistics Canada _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Government of Canada announces the services covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan February 8, 2024 – The Government of Canada announced on February 8th, 2024, further details on the oral health care services that will be covered under the CDCP to prevent and treat oral health issues and disease. The majority of services covered under the CDCP will be available as of May 2024 when the first cohort of CDCP clients will begin to receive services. Some oral health care services such as crowns, initial placement of partial dentures, and general anesthesia will require preauthorization, prior evaluation from an oral health provider, which will be available beginning in the fall of 2024. The Government is also making the 2023 CDCP established fees available via Sun Life's website to help inform providers ahead of the release of the 2024 fees. Each service covered under the plan will be compensated at 2024 CDCP fees when services start being offered in May. The CDCP will reimburse a percentage of the cost, based on established CDCP fees, which are not the same as the provincial and territorial suggested fee guides. People covered under the CDCP may have to pay an outstanding amount such as a co-payment or additional charges, which would be paid directly to their oral health provider. CDCP fees will be reassessed annually to account for new evidence, inflation, and changes in costs over time. To limit out-of-pocket costs, oral health providers participating in the CDCP will bill Sun Life directly for the eligible services provided to ensure timely reimbursement. Before receiving any oral health services, people covered under the CDCP should confirm that their provider is participating in the program and whether there may be any costs that will not be covered by the plan. Source: Health Canada | Read the full press release here. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PMRA Update February 7, 2024 – A letter was sent to Health Canada in April 2023, signed by DIAC, Medtech, Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada, and the Canadian Consumer Speciality Products Association. The associations collectively called on Health Canada to schedule a meeting as soon as possible to “explore potential solutions, including a discretionary compliance while PMRA works to update the regulations to include all medical devices in their exemption list (including Class I medical devices)”. In June of 2023, the associations met with representatives from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), Medical Devices Directorate (MDD), and Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch (ROBE) to voice their concerns on behalf of the dental industry. At a meeting on January 15, 2024, Health Canada informed the associations that the concerns of the dental industry were heard, and indicated their intent to initiate proceedings to exclude Class I Medical Devices from the Pest Control Products Regulations. Health Canada has informed the associations that they will send a more formal response once they have more detailed information on timelines, as well as any interim compliance requirements until the changes in the Regulations are implemented. DIAC will communicate this information to the membership once notified by Health Canada. Thank you to our members who engaged with the surveys conducted by DIAC and Medtech Canada. Through the associations collectively voicing their concerns to Health Canada, a positive outcome was achieved. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ontario Business Definition and Procurement Thresholds 23 January 2024 – In 2022, the Ontario government introduced the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative (BOBI), an effort to bolster the province’s economic growth and enhance supply chain resilience. The BOBI initiative, which was originally outlined in the Fewer Fees, Better Services Act, 2022, has led to the enactment of the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022. This legislation mandates that public sector entities prioritize Ontario businesses when procuring goods and services below a specified threshold amount. Scheduled to come into effect on April 1, 2024, the BOBI Act will be applicable across all public sector procurements, including hospitals, ministries, agencies, school boards, universities, and various other institutions. The provincial government held a number of stakeholder engagement sessions during the summer of 2023 and posted the proposed regulation for 45 days on Ontario’s Regulatory Registry. This registry is the platform for the public and regulated entities to participate in developing provincial policy by providing comments on proposed changes as well as developing a better understanding of the provincial policy instruments and how to comply with them. In terms of how the government is defining an Ontario business, here is the official definition: (2) In determining whether a business is considered to be an Ontario business for the purposes of the Act, a public sector entity may rely on a representation by the business that it meets the requirements of subsection (1). Source: Medtech Canada _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Federal Dental Care Program Will Exclude 4.4M Uninsured Canadians: Report 17 January 2024 – Millions of uninsured Canadians will be left out of the new federal dental program because their family income is too high, says a report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Enrolment began in December for a new federal benefits program, which was developed as a condition of a political pact between the Liberal government and the NDP. It will see the federal government offer dental benefits to uninsured families with a household income under $90,000 per year, starting with seniors, children under the age of 18 and people with disabilities. When the program is fully implemented in 2025, the government anticipates the coverage will be available to roughly nine million people. But another 4.4 million individuals who don't have dental benefits of their own will be excluded because of the income cap, the report says. It would cost $1.45 billion to extend the coverage to people whose income exceeds the cap in 2025, on top of the $3.3 billion already budgeted for in the program that year. The report, authored by David Macdonald, a senior economist for the think tank, argues that $90,000 is not a particularly large income for a family with two parents and children. The report argues that a universal program wouldn't leave anyone out at all. NDP health critic Don Davies, who has worked closely with the Liberals on the new dental care policy, said in a media statement his party would like to see the coverage expanded. Davies is also collaborating with the government on the legislative framework for medical drug coverage for Canadians. In the case of pharmacare, the NDP has insisted the coverage must be single-payer and universal, unlike the dental care program. Expanding dental care along the same principles will be a focus for the NDP in the next election, he said. Health Minister Mark Holland's office did not directly address Macdonald's concerns when contacted for a statement Wednesday, but said the new program is intended to ease the financial barrier to accessing dental health care. Ottawa plans to gradually enrol eligible participants in the new program over the next 12 months. The first program members are expected to be able to start claiming dental care expenses in May, though the exact coverage date will vary from person to person. Source: Laura Osman · The Canadian Press | Full article: CBC.ca _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dental Care Reporting Mandatory While Filing 2023 Taxes 15 January 2024 – Due to the upcoming Canada Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the CRA has updated the tax filing process to support the transparency of dental care in Canada. Beginning with 2023 tax season, employers must provide information on dental care benefits on T4 and T4A slips, TNMSC recently reported. These reports on whether employees and their families receive dental insurance through their employer will help determine eligibility for the CDCP. Moving forward, it is mandatory to provide these details each year to avoid penalties. Implementing this standard is to support the CDCP and ensure dental coverage is extended to those currently without employer-provided coverage. Source: Oral Health Group | See more details on this update from TNMSC. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Foreign Credential Recognition Program 15 January 2024 – DIAC joins Dr. James Taylor, Chief Dental Officer of Canada (Public Health Agency of Canada – Government of Canada) in welcoming Employment and Social Development Canada's announcement for EDs, DE and National Oral Health Educators Group. Congratulations to the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry and the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario on their successful funding submissions! Their project descriptions are below. Organization: Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry Project name: General Dentistry Gap Assessment and Gap Training Program Description: The project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a new pathway leading to certification for Internationally Trained Dentists (ITDs) whose knowledge, skills and abilities are comparable to graduates of accredited dental programs to reduce barriers of FCR processes and reduce time for ITDs to enter labour market. The project will be piloted in three Canadian provinces, the project will pilot in three provinces, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Organization: College of Dental Technologists of Ontario Project name: Access to Dental Technology Phase II Description: This project aims to create a fair, objective and valid credential pathway for domestic and internationally trained dental laboratory associates/assistants who do not have formal oral health education, and direct them to competency assessment, upgrading and/or formal education as needed, to become registered internationally educated dental technologists (IEDTs). See the ESDC news release here. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Regulations for Quebec Bill 96 Published – “An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec” 10 January 2024 –As you well know, Bill 96 entitled Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French, is currently a priority issue in Quebec. The draft regulation amending the Regulation respecting the language of commerce and business has just been published in the Gazette officielle du Québec (only in French for now). As of January 10, any company and industry has 45 calendar days to send its comments to the Government of Quebec ((submission link to come). In its turn, Medtech Canada will focus its efforts with the government on key recommendations with which members are aligned. Medtech's recommendations will be shared with its board of directors, then forwarded to the government for presentation and discussion. Source: Medtech Canada _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DIAC Welcomes the Announcement Made on December 11, 2023 Regarding the Canada Dental Care Plan View & Download DIAC Statement on the Canada Dental Care Plan Announced Today - - - |