Schulich Dentistry student’s research seeks out the ‘essential’ dental plan
By Qianyu Rowena Zheng
Joeleen Philip, DDS’26 candidate, is not afraid to take on a challenge.
She has travelled to 40 countries; and less than a year after first learning to ride a bike, she can now count a 100-kilometre cycle trip among her adventures.
Now, through her research at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Philip aims to help overcome one of the oral health-care system’s biggest challenges: Determining what type of oral health care should be considered “essential” in Canada.
So far, there has been no public consensus – an issue that became urgent during the pandemic – so Philip’s research aims to discover what people think.
The goal is to help decide which oral health services should be included in a universal health care package, leading to high-quality and equitable dental care for all Canadians.
"Our findings can provide guidance to policymakers, helping them understand the factors that should inform the inclusion and prioritization of oral health care services within a universal health care package," said Philip, who has been honoured with the Ontario Dental Association Research Studentship and awards from the Arthur Labatt Family. "The information can also provide insights that assist decision makers in allocating resources and setting priorities more efficiently and equitably."
The lack of shared understanding on basic oral health care became an urgent situation during COVID-19 shutdowns. At the start of the pandemic, all Ontario dental clinics were limited to only providing emergency services, and routine oral health care treatments and surgeries were put on hold.
At the time, governments, regulatory agencies, and professional groups had to scramble to make a list of services that the community needed, such as emergency care, in order to protect people’s lives.
“But the question is, how much can you help?” said Philip. “What services are considered to be important enough that you would open up your office in the middle of a pandemic?”
Inspired by her dad, Philip has always wanted to be a dentist.
"I’m fortunate to be surrounded by the smartest and most supportive people I know – my family and partner," she said. "I find great motivation in the support and encouragement I receive from them. Particularly my dad, who is my role model, and inspires me to embrace challenges and strive to be the best.”
When it comes to defining and setting criteria for universal health care, many players are involved, including oral health-care professionals, patients, government officials, policy makers and insurance companies.
The different groups have competing agendas. Insurance companies, for example, may prioritize financial limitations, while patients may wish to cover as much treatment as possible.
“The reality is that we don’t know what is essential or medically necessary in terms of dental care,” said Philip’s supervisor, Dr. Carlos Quiñonez, vice dean and director of Dentistry. “We have some good ideas, but we need precision in order to make appropriate decisions about what the government and other funders should pay for.”
Philip has conducted interviews with her target audience and is now analyzing the data to identify overlapping themes, which she will break down into categories and subcategories.
Insights from this research may help funders decide what to cover in oral health care in future years, an issue that has now been magnified by the introduction of the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan. Certain groups who cannot easily access oral health care will now have better chances to receive the treatment they need.
“If we ever experience things like COVID again, stakeholders can make better decisions about what dental services should be provided to people,” Quiñonez said.
Necessary oral health care may include extractions, cleanings and fillings.
Philip’s current focus is to discern people’s opinions, ensuring everyone’s voice can be heard.
