Algoma Public Health

Chapter 10 - Oral Health

Two in every 5 students entering school in Algoma have current or a history of tooth decay, indicating a
high prevalence of dental issues among school-aged children in the region.
Only 3 in 10 senior residents in Algoma reported having dental insurance coverage, highlighting a lack of
access to dental care for this population.
Three out of the 21 municipalities in Algoma region fluoridate their water supplies, indicating that a majority of the population does not have access to the benefits of community water fluoridation.
The population-to-dentist ratio in Algoma is approximately 1961.4, indicating a low availability of dental
services compared to the province (1230) and Canada overall.
Many residents in Algoma turn to hospital emergency departments for non-traumatic oral health problems
due to inadequate access to affordable dental care, resulting in a significantly higher rate of emergency
department visits compared to the provincial average.