Dental care is the most expensive and most incessantly delayed sort of well being care in Canada—even amongst these with insurance coverage—in keeping with new findings launched Tuesday.
The info comes from the 2025 Insurance coverage Entry and Affordability Research by PolicyMe, a Toronto-based insurance coverage know-how firm, in partnership with the Angus Reid Discussion board. The web survey polled 1,502 Canadians between Could 9 and 12.
The survey discovered that dental care is essentially the most generally delayed service, with 35 per cent of respondents saying they’ve skipped or decreased dental visits. Dental care can also be essentially the most frequent out-of-pocket well being expense, with 60 per cent of Canadians saying they’ve paid for it themselves—greater than for prescribed drugs (55 per cent) or imaginative and prescient care (54 per cent).
“Even with insurance coverage, many plans don’t totally cowl dental cleanings, procedures or orthodontics,” stated Andrew Ostro, CEO and co-founder of PolicyMe. “So folks find yourself paying out of pocket anyway, which could be a barrier, particularly for households, younger adults and retirees on mounted or decrease incomes.”
“This exhibits an actual have to modernize advantages and provides Canadians entry to extra complete, versatile choices that truly match their wants at the moment.” Andrew Ostro, CEO and co-founder of PolicyMe.
Out-of-pocket prices proceed to rise
Even when care isn’t delayed, Canadians typically discover themselves paying out of pocket. The survey discovered 29 per cent of respondents had spent greater than $1,000 out of pocket on well being or dental companies previously 12 months, whereas 9 per cent spent over $3,000.
Older Canadians (aged 55 and up) reported the best out-of-pocket prices, averaging $1,321 yearly—nearly double the $686 common for these aged 18 to 34. Regionally, British Columbians reported the best annual common at $1,188, whereas residents of Saskatchewan reported the bottom at $908.
“This exhibits an actual have to modernize advantages and provides Canadians entry to extra complete, versatile choices that truly match their wants at the moment,” Ostro stated.
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Majority with insurance coverage nonetheless delay care
The findings recommend that value stays a significant barrier to accessing care even for these with protection. About 52 per cent of insured Canadians stated they’ve delayed well being appointments attributable to value, in comparison with 71 per cent of these with out insurance coverage.
“In lots of circumstances, the plans folks have are inadequate to completely cowl the companies they want, typically attributable to excessive deductibles, co-pays or exclusions that depart important companies unaffordable,” Ostro stated. “Canadians should be taking a better take a look at the protection they’ve and see if there are higher plans obtainable.”
“Gen Z is ageing out of parental plans and getting into a workforce that usually lacks conventional advantages.” The report.
Concern of dropping protection amid financial instability
The survey additionally discovered that 36 per cent of Canadians are involved their employer-sponsored protection may very well be decreased or eradicated attributable to financial pressures. Considerations had been highest in British Columbia (43 per cent) and amongst Gen Xers (42 per cent).
Though 78 per cent of Canadians reported having some type of well being or dental insurance coverage, older Canadians stay the almost definitely to be uninsured—21 per cent of these aged 55 and up stated they don’t have any protection in any respect. PolicyMe’s generational information echoes that discovering, displaying that 21 per cent of Child Boomers and 20 per cent of Gen Zers are uninsured.
“Gen Z is ageing out of parental plans and getting into a workforce that usually lacks conventional advantages,” the report famous, “whereas Boomers are transitioning off employer-sponsored protection and into a posh particular person market.”
PolicyMe additionally famous a rise in first-time insurance coverage consumers amongst Canadians aged 55 and older.
The discovering is consistent with the federal government’s personal information. Based on the Canadian Oral Well being Survey for fiscal 12 months 2024, value was cited as a “main barrier” to care, with 24 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and up reporting they’d averted seeing a dental skilled previously 12 months due to it.
This is the reason the federal authorities launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), following Statistics Canada information displaying that just about one-third of Canadians lack dental insurance coverage—a problem that proved to be a common vote-winner.
