The Ontario Dental Association is asking the provincial government to invest more in public dental programs.
Association President Dr. David Stevenson said dental health is just as important as your physical health, but some people are skipping a visit to the dentist in favour of a trip to their family doctor, or an emergency room.
In the report titled "Hallway Health Care: A System Under Strain", there were almost 61,000 visits to hospital Emergency Rooms across Ontario for dental health problems in 2015, and in 2014, almost 222,000 visits to family doctors for dental problems.
These visits cost the health care system around $40 million a year and result in people not getting the treatment they need.
Dentists in Ontario already treat 260,000 children through the Healthy Smiles program, but the association says that means almost half of eligible Ontario Children are not receiving proper dental care.
Dr. Stevenson said although the government has good programs already available, they need to be funded more appropriately, which would make things healthier for both citizens and Ontario's health care system.
