The stories echo across community clinics and outreach centres - people avoiding dental care after past experiences, young adults who never learned to brush properly, families unsure of how to navigate new federal coverage.
Taken together, these accounts reveal a persistent gap between oral health needs of specific populations and the systems designed to meet them.
Now, a major federal investment aims to align care more closely with community needs. Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry has received $2.9 million through Health Canada's Oral Health Access Fund to complement the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and expand care for communities that continue to face barriers to care.
"This investment allows us to reach people who, for many reasons, still aren't receiving the care they need," said Dr. Carlos Quiñonez, vice dean and director of dentistry. "It will also help ensure dental graduates are ready for the new realities of practice."
Strengthening access
The first project, approximately $600,000 over one year, will help Schulich Dentistry reach individuals who are uninsured or may experience delays or limitations when accessing the CDCP.
The funding will also enhance Schulich Dentistry's recently upgraded clinic management system, building on improvements already underway to strengthen communication and improve the patient experience.
"These enhancements allow us to connect with patients more effectively," Quiñonez said.
The second project - nearly $2.5 million over three years - will expand the community-integrated model of dental education and deepen partnerships with organizations across the region, including the Oxford County Community Health Centre, The Wright Clinic, Northwest London Resource Centre, Southwest London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, Cross Cultural Learner Centre, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection and Moose Factory Dental Clinic at Weeneebayko General Hospital in Northern Ontario.
Dr. Abbas Jessani leads Schulich Dentistry's community service learning portfolio. (Mac Lai/Schulich Medicine & Dentistry)
The expanded model will strengthen Schulich Medicine & Dentistry's focus on professionalism and social accountability, preparing students to provide culturally safe care and person-centred care in diverse community settings.
A curriculum built by community
A central element of the initiative is developing a curriculum grounded in lived experience and person-centred practice. Led by professors Abbas Jessani and Sarah McLean, the work builds on years of collaboration in community-engaged learning and oral health outreach.
"Many of the patients we work with experience stigma in dental settings," said Jessani.
"We're training students to think outside the box - to understand the broader social factors that shape a person's oral health and deliver care in ways that actually work for the communities they serve." - Abbas Jessani, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry professor
The curriculum will embed community voices directly into the classroom, inviting individuals from partner organizations to share their experiences accessing dental care. Graduate students will also conduct focus groups at community sites to help define what person-centred care should look like, with these insights shaping new teaching modules, assessments and case-based learning resources.
For students, the impact is transformative. "When trainees meet people in their own environments, they begin to understand the social determinants of health in a very real way," said Jessani. "It leads to practitioners who lead with compassion and humility."
"It helps students connect with the humanity in their work," McLean added. "When they slow down and build trust, the outcomes are better for everyone."
A model for the future
With approximately nine million Canadians eligible for the CDCP, Quiñonez says Schulich Dentistry is preparing for this moment of change. Health Canada's investment through the Oral Health Access Fund, he notes, aims to ensure students receive the training they need by strengthening clinic operations, expanding distributed education and contributing to a scalable model for future training programs.
"We will continue delivering exceptional oral health education and care for our region," he said.
Learn more about how Western is optimizing health for all.
