Dear Mr. Bevilacqua- CEO of the ODA, CDA Executive, Provincial Dental Associations, CDSPI, and ALL CANADIAN Dental Insurers:
We are writing to you on behalf of ourselves and the numerous concerned dentists and dental specialists whose signatures appear below.
We were informed today that CDSPI, despite the " strong recommendation" from the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario to stop non-emergency dental procedures immediately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is unwilling to honour our PANDEMIC or PRACTICE INTERRUPTION INSURANCE.
CDSPI's mission statement is "To provide a broad and meaningful range of customized financial solutions to the dental community, covering every facet of their lives."
Where is that mission today?
Dentists have been paying into these policies in good faith believing that in the time of need, we will be covered by our insurers. We have pandemic insurance in case of a pandemic. Now that there is a bona fide pandemic on our hands, our claims are being denied. One generally does not buy insurance because one is made of money!
We have had our right to earn a living taken away. We have been strongly warned by our governing body not to practice ( and that if we do practice, we could be charged with malpractice or endangering the Public). This is putting us in a NO-WIN situation.
When we need the insurance we pay hefty monthly premiums for, we are left to fend for ourselves.
We are small business owners with extremely high overheads. The unprecedented circumstances triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak pose an existential threat not only to the dental industry, but more generally to global health care and trust in fiduciary relationships.
We are stretched to our limits trying to manage the crisis. We have done everything our governing Colleges and Public Health authorities have asked of us. We have reduced our hours, laid off employees, and put ourselves on the front lines woefully under-protected. It is critical that our Associations have our backs! We need you to step up with measures to ensure the solo practitioner dentist still has a future! Are you willing to bankrupt your own members?
We pay our membership dues. We attend the meetings. We care deeply about our communities, our teams and our patients.
We need to see that you care about what happens to us too.
