Press Release | The ACDQ's President joins the tooth fairy in highlighting the 6th anniversary without a public dental plan agreement

QUEBEC CITY, March 31, 2021 – Dr. Carl Tremblay, President of the Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec (ACDQ), traveled today to Parliament Hill with the tooth fairy to bring an anniversary card to the Premier, the Health Minister, and the President of the Conseil du trésor and draw attention to the 6th anniversary without a public dental plan agreement between Quebec dentists and the government.

“We came with the tooth fairy to publicize this sad anniversary because, as you know, a few months ago, the Premier decreed that she is an essential service. Yet, our Association would like the government to do the same for dentists. The government needs to quickly conclude an agreement on the dental care covered by the RAMQ,” stated Dr. Carl Tremblay, President of the ACDQ. “Although today’s activity has a humorous tone, we are serious in demanding that the government recognize the dental care that our members provide to the public, including our young children covered by the plan, as an essential, priority service.”

In fact, the public dental plan has been so low on the Quebec government’s list of priorities in recent years that dentists have been waiting for six years for their agreement to be renewed. Despite many meetings between the ACDQ and government representatives, no satisfactory progress has been made. It is equally disappointing that the RAMQ’s dental plan accounts for only $150 million out of the nearly $50 billion budget of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (MSSS).

“The government has the resources to fix this agreement; it is a question of political will. Our members have propped up the plan for years, because they care about the public’s oral health,” added Dr. Tremblay. “The fact that only $3 is left over for dentists who perform a surgical procedure lasting 30 minutes on average, such as a dental extraction, which is less than the price of a bus ride, shows you just how much the government relies on the charity of dentists to keep its public plan afloat. If our leaders continue to neglect the plan and talk about it only when they campaign for office, it will ultimately fall apart, and the entire population will pay the price.”

In the last six years, dentists have continued to provide services to the public, on behalf of the government, without an agreement. Dentists’ main demand regarding the plan is that the government acknowledge the extremely high operating costs that they have to fully cover in order to provide care to their patients.

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About the ACDQ
For over 50 years, the mission of the Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec has been to study, defend and develop the professional, economic and social interests of its 4,300 members. It also works to position the dentistry profession as the leader of dental health in Quebec and gain recognition for its members' expertise, contribute to their training, defend the value and importance of their services, and negotiate all necessary agreements on their behalf.

Contacts:

To request information about the ACDQ:
Sébastien Cyr
[email protected]
514-298-2448

For interview requests:
Yves-Alexandre Comeau
[email protected]
514-295-4287