Executive Summary

Background

Oral health is an important part of overall health and well-being. Oral disease continues to be a global concern that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations who face barriers accessing dental care.

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Public Health completed an Oral Health Needs Assessment survey to identify trends, barriers and service gaps among residents and provide evidence-based recommendations to improve access to dental care in our community.

Overview

• The online survey collected voluntary resident responses from August 13, 2025 to January 31, 2026.
• Promotional strategies included partner engagement, creating and distributing marketing materials, social media advertising, and in-person engagement in local community spaces.
• The survey generated 929 valid survey responses: 49 percent of respondents were from City of Guelph, 33 percent from Wellington County and 18 percent from Dufferin County.

Key Findings

Oral health status and behaviours

• Two-thirds of survey respondents rated their oral health as “good” or “very good.”
• About 23 percent of respondents indicated they currently have an oral health concern.
• One in four respondents seek dental care on an as-needed basis or not at all.
• Unmet oral health problems result in negative physical and psychological impacts for residents, affecting their ability to eat, how they feel about themselves, and leading to ongoing pain and depression.

Barriers to accessing dental care

• The most reported barriers to visiting the dentist included cost (61 percent), lack of dental insurance or benefit coverage (55 percent), having to take time off work (41 percent) and fear or dislike of the dentist (35 percent).
• The majority of survey respondents have employer-based dental insurance (49 percent), followed by 30 percent who have publicly-funded insurance coverage.
• Of the 17 percent of survey respondents who do not have dental insurance, 30 percent were individuals 65 and over, 26 percent were between 26 to 39 years of age and 23 percent were between 40 to 54 years of age.

Free and low-cost dental programs

• There is a lack of awareness and use of publicly funded free and low-cost dental programs, especially among those who have an annual household income under $50,000 and may be eligible.

Summary of Recommendations:

1. Strengthen community partnerships and outreach with agencies who work closely with priority populations to ensure they are informed about available free and low-cost dental programs.
2. Focus on equity-driven strategies to make oral health programs and services accessible for priority populations.
3. Increase awareness of publicly funded dental programs, general oral health education and preventative measures.
4. Continue to advocate for improved provincial and federal policy to reduce the inequities and barriers to accessing dental care.