The British Columbia Dental Association (BCDA) called on the public to demand critical changes to the Health Professions & Occupations Act (HPOA) by signing a petition to prevent this legislation from making sweeping changes that could lead to fewer available professionals, longer wait times, and higher costs for patients.
We’re urging the government to revisit the legislation through meaningful consultation with all stakeholders.
Changes being made through the HPOA will impact all British Columbians who rely on accessible dental care. No other jurisdiction in Canada has legislation like this.
Under the HPOA, board members of the regulatory college will be government-appointed, with no requirement for dental expertise. Decisions about dental practice standards, complaints, and patient care could be made without input from dental professionals.
Regulatory actions could be taken against you with no ability to appeal in court. We need fair due process for all health professionals.
Colleges will have near-total immunity from legal accountability, except in cases of bad faith. Regulation must include checks and balances, and accountability also needs to exist at the regulatory levels.
More red tape means fewer appointments, longer wait times, and higher costs for patients. We’re pushing for reduced administrative demands to prevent these impacts.
BCDA has always agreed that the existing Health Professions Act needed modernizing, but we believe the legislation now in place goes too far in several respects. We’re asking for the provincial government to once again enter into conversation with the health professions and occupations, and to consider further changes to the HPOA, in the interests of all British Columbians. To review the Act for yourself, click here.
You joined us in standing up for accessible, high-quality oral health care in BC. Together, we can advocate for fair and effective regulations that protect the interests of all British Columbians. Thank you! We look forward to presenting our petition to the BC Legislature later this spring.
This petition is intended to support improved oral health care access and affordability for all British Columbians. Participation is entirely voluntary, and patients should feel free to decide whether to participate without any pressure or obligation. Your signature helps amplify our message to the provincial government, ensuring policymakers hear the concerns of patients and professionals alike.
“None of the consultations undertaken during the development of this legislation remotely envisioned the extent and severity of changes proposed. This is very concerning for dentists and likely all health care professionals across British Columbia who are still grappling with the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of care. A chronic dental shortage and the implementation of a Canadian dental care program and other regulatory changes are among the issues that the BCDA and our members are currently addressing. There is limited capacity to study this extensive legislation in detail and fully understand its impact on health care providers and patients.”
–Shirley Bond, MLA, November 2022 Hansard Notes
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The BC Dental Association office is located on the homelands of the Coast Salish peoples, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. BCDA gratefully acknowledges that BC dentists live and work on the unceded, traditional and ancestral homelands of Indigenous Peoples and Nations across BC.
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