Health minister compares dentists’ ‘fears’ on dental-care program to medicare rollout [Video]

OTTAWA –

The “concerns and fears” dentists are expressing about a national dental-care plan are similar to those doctors had when Canada launched medicare in the 1960s, Health Minister Mark Holland said Wednesday.

With less a month before seniors registered in the federal program are set to begin accessing service, Holland defended his government’s back-and-forth discussions with dentists.

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Dental associations have warned that some of their members are hesitant to participate in the program, citing billing concerns.

“It’s reminiscent of some of the struggles that you had at the beginning of making of ensuring that everybody had medical care,” Holland said.

“If you remember back in the 1960s, there were a lot of questions and concerns and fears that doctors had about expanding that coverage. And so anytime you’re expanding coverage and creating something new, there’s going …