Oral and Dental Services in Pediatric Oncology Program

The Program for Oral and Dental Services in Pediatric Oncology Program was created by the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux in 2019 and is intended for people who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18. It provides eligible people with free access to oral and dental services, which are not covered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec’s public plan. The Program is managed in partnership with the Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine.

Before adulthood, cancer and cancer therapy, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, can affect teeth and jaw development. Patients may need oral and dental care to prevent complications or to treat oral and dental consequences.

To be eligible for the Program, a person must:

• be a resident of Québec;
• be insured under the Québec Health Insurance Plan;
• have been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18.

They must also, in direct connection with the cancer or cancer therapy, be at risk of oral and dental consequences or be affected by oral and dental consequences.

In connection with the cancer diagnosis, the Program covers the patient’s oral and dental services based on the needs that arise at the different stages of their treatment. The following services are covered:

• services required before, during and, where applicable, up to 6 months after the cancer therapy they had to undergo (the pericancerous period);
• services for patients at risk of oral and dental consequences associated with cancer (monitoring period);
• services for patients affected by oral and dental consequences associated with cancer (treatment of consequences period).

Professionals or institutions that provide treatment are reimbursed directly for services covered by the Program. This means that patients do not have to submit a claim to the Program.

To be covered, the oral and dental services must be provided in Québec and be approved by the Program. Services can also be approved by one of the following four designated centres:

• Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine;
• McGill University Health Centre;
• CHU de Québec-Université Laval;
• Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke.

Services provided without prior authorization will not be reimbursed.

To find out the procedure to access the Program’s services, you can contact the people in charge using the contact information below:

Telephone:

• 514 345-2144
• 1 833 887-7267 (toll-free number)

Email: oncobucco@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

Programme de soins buccodentaires en oncologie pédiatrique  (in French only)
Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine