The Provincial Government announced today (November 22nd) that they will implement the new Dental Fee Guide for Alberta on January 1st.

Minister of Health, Sarah Hoffman says the prices they're recommending in the guide are lower than what they've been in the past.

"The guide recommends fees that are 8.5 percent lower than they were in 2016."

Hoffman says that 8.5 percent relates to the most common procedures and understands that some dental work is more or less depending on the practice.

While the guide won't be mandatory, Hoffmann believes many of dentists will align their prices with those set up in the guide.

While the Alberta Dental Association and College is pleased with the guide, others think it doesn't go far enough.

In a release from today, Liberal MLA David Swann says the fee guide doesn't help with the already outrageous dental costs, and that the government should have pressed more to ensure that fees are affordable.

The Friends of Medicare Society for Alberta says politicians should push to include Dental Care as part of a national Medicare program.

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