The scent of spring mingles with the palpable relief in Margaret Yellowback’s voice as she recounts her journey to dental health. Outside the window of the community health center, melting snow gives way to patches of exposed earth in the northern Manitoba community she calls home.
“For years, I couldn’t smile without covering my mouth,” the 58-year-old grandmother tells me, her eyes crinkling above her mask. “Now I can laugh with my grandchildren without shame.”
Margaret’s story represents thousands of Manitobans who’ve long struggled with dental care access—a struggle that may soon see significant relief thanks to a historic $6.1 million federal investment announced for the University of Manitoba’s Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry.
The funding, provided through Health Canada, aims to expand dental care access for underserved communities across the province, with particular focus on northern and Indigenous populations that have historically faced the greatest barriers to care.
“This isn’t just about fixing teeth,” explains Dr. Anastasia Kelekis-Cholakis, Dean of the College of Dentistry, as we tour the facility where the next generation of dental professionals trains. “It’s about addressing a critical gap in healthcare that affects overall health, economic opportunity, and quality of life.”
The investment comes at a crucial time. According to Statistics Canada data, nearly 40 percent of Canadians without dental insurance have avoided seeing a dentist due to cost in the past year. The numbers are even more stark in rural and remote communities, where geographic isolation compounds financial barriers.
The federal dollars will support three major initiatives: expanding the college’s outreach clinics to remote communities, enhancing the Indigenous Admissions Program to increase representation in the dental profession, and creating sustainable models for delivering affordable care to vulnerable populations.
When I visited the college’s existing community clinic last winter, I witnessed firsthand the overwhelming need. Patients had traveled hours through snow-covered highways for treatments many urban dwellers take for granted. One elderly man told me he’d endured tooth pain for nine months while waiting for an appointment.
“The mouth is the gateway to overall health,” says Dr. Robert Schroth, a dental public health specialist at the university. “Poor oral health is linked to diabetes complications, cardiovascular disease, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. When we improve dental access, we’re actually addressing multiple health conditions.”
The funding announcement represents a shift in how oral healthcare is perceived within the broader healthcare landscape. Historically treated as a luxury rather than necessity, dental care has remained outside Canada’s universal healthcare system, creating profound inequities that follow socioeconomic and geographic lines.
For Indigenous communities particularly, this investment acknowledges historical and ongoing healthcare disparities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission highlighted how colonial policies disrupted traditional diets and medical practices while failing to provide adequate Western healthcare alternatives.
“This program means we’ll see more Indigenous dental professionals returning to serve their communities,” says Lisa Monkman, a health advocate from Fisher River Cree Nation. “That representation matters not just for practical reasons of service delivery, but for creating culturally safe environments where patients feel understood.”
The dental college plans to expand its Indigenous Admissions Program, which currently reserves five seats annually for Indigenous students. The initiative provides academic support, mentorship, and culturally relevant training to help address the severe underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in dental professions.
Beyond education, the funding will expand Manitoba’s “hub and spoke” model of care delivery, where dental professionals from the urban “hub” travel to remote “spoke” communities to provide care. Additionally, final-year dental students will gain valuable experience through expanded rural rotations.
Community health worker James Beardy from Norway House Cree Nation explains the transformative potential: “When young people here see professionals who look like them, who understand their language and culture, it changes what they believe is possible for themselves.”
The economic impact extends beyond health. Poor dental health affects employment opportunities, with many reporting that visible dental issues have hindered job prospects. The Manitoba Employment Income Assistance Program covers basic dental care for recipients, but many working poor fall into a coverage gap—earning too much for assistance but too little to afford dental insurance.
While the federal investment represents progress, challenges remain. Sustainable funding models, recruitment of professionals willing to work in remote locations, and addressing the root causes of poor oral health—including food security, water quality, and poverty—require ongoing commitment.
For Margaret Yellowback, these policy discussions translate to real change in daily life. After receiving dentures through an existing outreach program, she’s experienced not just improved nutrition but renewed confidence.
“I used to avoid community gatherings because I was embarrassed,” she says, now smiling freely. “Our elders teach us that healing happens in community. Now I can be fully present again.”
As spring thaws the northern landscape, this investment offers similar promise—the potential for new growth and healing in communities long waiting for care.
