Dental clinics sit empty as funding gap keeps them closed in Mississauga, Brampton

Three dental clinics built to serve the urgent needs of low-income seniors in Peel Region can’t open because of a shortfall in anticipated funding.

The clinics remain closed but are costing local taxpayers $250,000 in fees for units that have already been leased. A mobile dental clinic designed to deliver service to seniors’ residences and underserved areas is also not operational.

The clinics were supposed to open at 71 King Street West and 2520 Eglinton Avenue West in Mississauga, and 5 Montpelier Street in Brampton and have already been equipped to serve patients through Peel Public Health as part of the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP). Four other clinics, two in each of Mississauga and Brampton, are open and serving clients.

However, although the Ontario government has paid for the units and the bus, a miscalculation in demand means a shortfall of $7.5 million that prevents them from becoming operational.

“This means that fewer eligible seniors will have access to dental care in Peel in 2025,” said Paul Sharma, Director of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention division at Region of Peel Public Health. “This will increase seniors’ risk of experiencing poor oral health and quality of life.”

OSDCP is designed to provide comprehensive, routine dental services to eligible low-income seniors aged 65 years and older.

In a presentation to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon councillors at Peel Region today (March 20), Sharma explained there is a high demand for low-income seniors’ dental services in Peel. There are 21,000 seniors enrolled in the OSDCP in the region, with approximately 7,000 on a waitlist to be assigned to a dental clinic.

He said the needs of those who use the program are often complex, extensive and ongoing.

“Many clients have never seen a consistent dental professional in their life and often they have other health issues that need to be considered. And many of these seniors require dentures which are costly and take a lot of time,” Sharma said.

He said the funding shortfall happened right from the start of the program in 2019 because the Ontario Ministry of Health expected only 7,000 to sign up for OSDCP and has since not kept up with the intake. By comparison, York Region has fewer enrolled in the program but has a higher operating budget.

“This is not a good thing,” said Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish. “I think this sucks, frankly. We have been worried about being underfunded for how long? Are we getting anywhere? This is bad, bad, bad.”

The mayor added that MPPs have to be made aware that the clinics are built and ready to go but are sitting empty.

Sharma went on to say the only strategy that Peel Public Health can undertake is one of advocacy to convince the powers that be at Queen’s Park to commit to the funds that will allow the clinics to open. As well it will also urge the province and the federal government to work together to bring more funding services to seniors.

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