There could be good news coming for British Columbians who have been stuck paying out of pocket for dental care.
Premier John Horgan said the government has started crunching the numbers on what it would cost to cover some basic dental care for uninsured residents.
"Oral health is important to the well-being of individuals and also self-esteem," Horgan said.
The premier couldn't confirm whether there would be funding for new dental coverage in the next provincial budget, but said the province is considering the possibilities.
"It's very costly and it's in the tentative stages but it's something that's important," Horgan said.
During Ontario's last election campaign, provincial NDP leader Andrea Horwath pitched a dental plan that would offer coverage to 4.5 million people – roughly the entire population of B.C. – at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.
Though public coverage might be expensive, dentists said it would take the burden off emergency rooms, where people who can't afford regular cleaning and dental exams often end up.
Dr. Hussein Shivji of Asante Dental Centres said when uninsured patients ignore problems to avoid the cost of care, their condition can become much worse.
"Something that could have been treated early on with preventative measures ends up becoming a much more expensive and extensive surgical procedure," Shivji said.
Some of the people who would benefit the most from public coverage include seniors, anyone on a fixed income and workers in part-time jobs, Shivji added.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Shannon Paterson
