A national initiative developing bilingual learning modules to support equitable access to oral health care across Canada.

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What We’re Building
Project Timeline
What Makes This Initiative Unique?
Who Are the Target Audiences?
Community Voice and Collaboration
Project Team
Get Involved or Learn More

Project Overview

Led by the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD) and the University of Manitoba, Advancing Access to Oral Health Care for All is an Oral Health Access Fund (OHAF) national initiative developing a series of evidence-based learning modules on access to care for underserved communities. Module leads from dental schools across Canada are collaborating on content development, with the modules intended for oral health care learners and professionals nationwide. The project aims to support more equitable, culturally safe, and accessible oral health care for underserved communities across Canada

A suite of bilingual learning modules aimed at:

• Establishing a nationally coordinated learning series focused on access to oral healthcare for underserved communities
• Enhancing the knowledge and reflective practice of oral health care providers in addressing access barriers faced by underserved communities
• Contributing to systemic improvements in access to care by aligning education with national priorities in oral healthcare delivery.

Topics include care for Indigenous populations, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, elderly and long-term care residents, newcomers and refugees, children, people experiencing abuse or domestic violence, rural and remote communities, LGBTQ+ populations, and inter-professional approaches to care.

Project Timeline

2026–Early 2027: Needs assessment, content mapping and module development
2027: Module development continues, pilot testing, evaluation and refinement
Early 2028: Full launch and modules dissemination

What Makes This Initiative Unique?

• National scope
• Multiple learning modules
• Community-informed approach
• Collaboration across universities, colleges, professionals, and community partners
• Asynchronous and flexible learning
• Designed for broad uptake and dissemination

Who are the Target Audiences?

The learning modules are being developed for oral health care learners, educators and professionals across Canada, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental assistants, and denturists. The project also aims to engage academic institutions, professional associations, community organizations and partners working to advance equitable access to oral health care.

Community Voice and Collaboration

The initiative is being shaped by stakeholder engagement, community perspectives, and collaboration across academic, professional, and community partners to ensure the modules are relevant, responsive, and grounded in real-world needs.

Are you an Oral Health Professional?
We would love to hear your thoughts on the potential gaps in training and education related to access to care for underserved communities. Follow the link below to answer a short survey.

Are you a community representative or a member of an underserved group?
We would love to hear from you on how to better support oral health professionals in the delivery of care for all members of society. Follow the link below to answer a short survey.

Project Team

Get Involved and Learn More

Interested in learning more about the project? Contact our project manager Dr. Brinda Khanna.

If you would like to get involved, please complete and submit the following form, and a member of our team will be in touch soon.