The Quebec Public Health Program- Dental Health

Description:

Sets out a number of objectives to help improve the dental health of all Quebecers. The goal is to reduce the number of decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces by 40% among children under 18 years of age, to reduce the prevalence of periodontal diseases (gingivitis and destructive periodontitis) among adults, and to improve dental hygiene practices among all age groups.

Region of Administration:

Provincial

Government / Department:

Ministère Santé et Services sociaux

Eligibility:

A provincial classification criterion for children at a high risk of dental caries has been established to identify and select children for individualized, preventive follow-up in school. Under this criterion, children must have a carious lesion on at least one buccal or proximal surface of the anterior teeth (excluding the distal surface of canines) or carious lesions on two or more proximal surfaces of the posterior teeth (including the distal surface of canines). Based on this criterion, approximately 20% of the kindergarten children examined are admitted to the program.

Coverage:

Promoting optimum fluoridation measures.

Providing counselling on tobacco use, eating habits, and the use of fluorides either by tooth brushing or taking fluoride supplements.

Providing individualized preventive follow-up in schools so that kindergarten to grade-three children that meet the criteria for a high risk of dental caries receive two topical applications of fluoride per year and participate in dental health educational activities.

Applying a dental sealant to the surfaces of permanent molars with sulcus and fissures in children aged 5 to 15 that meet the criteria for a high risk of dental caries.

Providers:

Dentists, Dental hygienists

Therapeutic Responsibility:

Dentists, Dental hygienists

Compensation:

Salary

How it Works:

These services are mainly dispensed in schools by dental hygienists from health and social services centres (CSSS). They are coordinated at the regional level by full- or part-time consulting dentists.