Support Our Work
How Can You Help?
Monetary contributions go towards staff, outreach, supplies, and many other necessities to running our clinics.
If you are a dentist or hygienist in Ontario, please consider volunteering just four hours a month with us.
Much of our equipment and supplies are donated. We welcome any donated equipment in working condition.
Our 2022 Impact
Emergency Visits
Hours Volunteered
Teeth Restored
Emergency Extractions
Dental Cleanings
Saved Toronto Public Health
Who Does Filling the Gap Provide Services To?
10 to 12% of Canadians don’t file tax returns, many due to barriers such as language and financial literacy. These non-filers are frequently not eligible for government plans and likewise will not be eligible to receive funding through the CDCP.
The number of undocumented workers living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is estimated to range from 200,000 to 500,000. These individuals are not eligible for government plans.
An estimated 18,000 Torontonians are homeless. Some are living in shelters or hotels as temporary accommodation but many sleep on the streets. 97% of people surveyed in Toronto shelters needed dental treatment and 40% needed emergency dental treatment. 35% had avoided eating due to mouth problems.
Many refugees are not registered under the Interim Federal Healthcare Plan (IFHP). Not all refugees who enter Canada are eligible for the IFHP due to strict eligibility criteria.
Even if eligible, barriers in accessing care through Government plans are frequent issues faced by both adults and children in the GTA. Many low income families encounter long waitlists or long travel times to public health clinics, and it can be difficult to find a private dentist to accept patients on government plans. “Won’t the CDCP Fill the Gap?”
What Our Patients Say
Our Proud Sponsors
GreenShield has generously donated $50,000 in both 2022 and 2023 toward our work at Filling the Gap. This has enabled us to hire part time dentists to work alongside our volunteer dentists to increase the number of vulnerable Torontonians that we are able to serve. We are incredibly grateful to GreenShield for their support.
Henry Schein was invaluable in donating both dental equipment and time to help us when installing our 3 new dental operatories in our Scarborough location. We are very grateful to them for all their support.
Toronto Public Health has been a long term supporter of our work since the inception of the Urban Dental Clinic in 2007 and now at the Rexdale Hub Community Health Centre. We are very grateful to TPH for all their support.
Think Property Finance has generously donated to our work at Filling the Gap, enabling us to expand our work and maximize the number of vulnerable individuals we can see. We are very grateful to them for their support.
The Toronto Foundation has been fundamental in connecting us with sponsor organizations that have been willing to give is grants to help us achieve our goals at Filling the Gap. We are very grateful to them for their support.
CCRIHC has been an indispensable partner to Filling the Gap since the inception of our charity in 2020. The CCRIHC was an original founder of the Urban Dental Clinic in 2007 and has been a constant supporter since that time, both financially and in many practical ways. We are very grateful to them for their support and could not function without them.
How Ontarians Access Dental Care
Patients pay “out of pocket” at a private dental office.
Often obtained through an employer. However, availability, coverage limits and rates vary significantly.
- Ontario works (OW) –low income or unemployed Ontarians
- Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO)- Children from low-income families
- Ontario Seniors program (OSP) – Low-income seniors
- Ontario Disability support Program (ODSP)- Ontarians with disabilities
- Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) – for refugees
- Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) – for eligible First Nations members. Provides more extensive benefits through private dentists or public health clinics.
- Canadian Dental Care Plan