Overall
By Type of Insurance
By Age
By Income
Overall
The social determinants of health can significantly affect many health conditions, including oral health. Regular dental visits help maintain good oral health, yet people without dental insurance are less likely to visit the dentist regularly than people with insurance. Good oral health is important to overall health, yet for some, dental care may not be affordable. For information on financial help, please visit the health unit's website on dental treatment funding.
In Ontario, dental care is generally not covered under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Dental visits must be paid for either through dental insurance or out of pocket. The dental insurance data on this page are from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), which asks if adults (aged 12 and over) have insurance that covers all or part of their dental expenses. According to the 2013-2014 CCHS, 34.4% (31.5%,37.5%) of the population of Simcoe County and Muskoka District do not have dental insurance – this represents an estimated 189,000 people. This is a similar proportion to dental insurance coverage in Ontario. These estimates have remained stable in both Ontario and in Simcoe Muskoka since 2003.
By Type of Insurance
In 2013-2014, 65.6% (62.5%, 68.5%) of adults (aged 12+) in Simcoe Muskoka had some form of dental insurance. Employer-sponsored insurance makes up the largest proportion of this coverage at 55.8% (52.6, 58.9%). Government-sponsored dental insurance coverage is available to a small proportion of the population through programs such as Healthy Smiles Ontario, Ontario Works, the Ontario Disability Support Program, and Non-insured Health Benefits for First Nations people and Inuit. In Simcoe Muskoka, 6.5% (4.6%, 9.1%) of adults (aged 12+) have government-sponsored dental insurance. Only 4.0% (2.9%,5.4%) of the population has private dental insurance.
By Age
The proportion of adults (aged 12+) with dental insurance remains somewhat stable across age groups between ages 12 to 64. However, significantly fewer seniors (aged 65+) in both Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario have dental insurance than any other age group. Only 34.7% (30.0%, 39.8%) of seniors in Simcoe Muskoka have dental insurance.
By Income
The proportion of adults (aged 12+) with dental insurance is correlated with income levels. Approximately 77.7% (70.3%, 83.7%) of adults living in the highest income quintile reporting having dental insurance, which was two thirds higher than what was reported by those living in the lowest income quintile. The proportion of those with dental insurance in each income category is similar between Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario.
