OAPHD - OOHA

Ontario Oral Health Alliance (OOHA)

If you're struggling with access to dental care and would like to know more about any low cost dental care options for adults and seniors that may be available in your community OR would like to help improve access to dental care in your community contact the OOHA chairperson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. more information.

The Ontario Oral Health Alliance (OOHA) got started in January 2007 by a group of community dental coalitions who wanted to show policy makers that improving access to dental care was a goal shared by many people across Ontario. OOHA is driven and informed by organizations and enaged individuals from around the province.

OOHA's vision is: a system that allows for equitable dental care for all Ontarians

NEW! The Ontario Oral Health Alliance congratulates the Ontario PC Party on their election win and look forward to working with them as they implement their promise of dental care for low income seniors. Click here to read our media release.

NEW! Review and share with your local coalitions this encouraging report called “Filling the Cavities: Improving the Efficiency and Equity of Canada’s Dental Care System” from the CD Howe Institute that focuses on how to improve equity in access to dental care in Canada!

Here is a quote from the report: “We believe provincial governments should take inspiration from other countries and start moving toward some form of universal dental insurance coverage; in doing so they should also consider ways in which the dental services sector could become more competitive and efficient. Policy initiatives along those lines could yield major payoffs, in terms of both equity and efficiency.”

The Liberal Government has promised a dental/drug program for Ontarians who don’t have benefits in the 2018 Ontario Budget. Click here to read OOHA’s response.

The NDP have announced plans for a Dental Program that would ensure all Ontarians have access to dental care’ click here to see OOHAs press release from March 19, 2018 - Response to NDP Dental Plan from Ontario Oral Health Alliance

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party has committed to provide low income seniors with a dental program delivered by Community Health Centers and Public Health Units … click here to read the OOHA Media Release on PC Dental Plan

Video -The Gap in Healthcare in Ontario

This video introduces the problem of access to oral health care in our province in less than 4 minutes. Use this short but effective Whiteboard video as an advocacy tool to help influence community partners and local policy makers to take action to improve access to oral health care in Ontario. https://youtu.be/SeuDyFvwuvU

If you need to download a copy of the video follow this link. You just need to click on the 'Download' button on the top left corner of the screen when the video begins to play, the file size is 250MB.
New! 2018 Ontario Election

Needed: A Public Dental Program for Low Income Adults & Seniors

We are asking all political parties to commit in their election platforms to action on dental care. It’s not fair that only people who can afford private dentists can have healthy mouths and teeth.

Read and share the Ontario Oral Health Alliance’s Election “Ask” Here

Ask your candidates: “1 in 5 people in Ontario can’t afford private dental care. Many end up in Emergency Rooms. There are no public dental programs for adults who can’t afford a dentist. What steps would your party take to address this oral healthcare problem?”
Lack of Access to Dental Care

Did you know that every 9 minutes someone goes to an Emergency Room in Ontario because of dental pain & every 3 minutes someone goes to a doctor’s office in Ontario because of dental problems??

Find out more about the lack of access to dental care in Ontario with this updated information sheet with dental related emergency room and doctor visit statistics.
OOHA Submission to Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

On December 17, 2015 the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care released a Discussion paper entitled: “Patients First – A proposal to strengthen patient-centred health care in Ontario”.

OOHA believes it’s time to bring the planning and delivery of oral health care services into the mainstream of policy discussions on Ontario’s healthcare system if we are to achieve better health outcomes for all Ontarians. Read our 2016 submission here.
FACT SHEET on Oral Health and Seniors

What is the Problem?

Medicare pays to treat infection in every other part of the body except for the mouth.

Many people experience barriers accessing primary oral health care, including cost, transportation, fear of seeing a dentist, and the belief that oral health is not that important.

Since it is not covered by Medicare and is very expensive.......

Click here to learn more...