Health Minister Mark Holland announced tweaks to Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 new dental-care plan Wednesday in a bid to get more dentists, hygienists and oral-health care providers to participate.

Dental and hygienists害羞草研究所� associations say their members have been slow to sign up to provide care under the new federal program, even though 1.7 million seniors have already enrolled.

They cite concerns about how much the government plans to reimburse them for services and the administrative burden the program will put on their staff.

The Liberals say 5,000 dental-care providers 害羞草研究所� including dentists, hygienists and denturists 害羞草研究所� have enrolled so far.

After further consultation, the government will allow providers to direct bill for services on a claim-by-claim basis without signing on to the program, starting in July, Holland said.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 going to vastly vastly expand the number of people participating.害羞草研究所�

The $13-billion dental program is a key element of the deal the Liberals struck with the NDP two years ago to prevent an early election, and is expected to offer dental coverage to as many as 9 million low- and medium-income families by the time it is fully implemented in 2025.

Lagging dentist enrollments have inspired new opposition attacks from the Conservatives, who up until this point have been mum on the dental program.

害羞草研究所淭heir dental-care debacle is failing Canadians,害羞草研究所� Conservative health critic Stephen Ellis charged during an exchange in question period Tuesday.

He alleged there were only eight dentists enrolled in the program in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island an Newfound Land, out of 1,170.

Holland said the latest change will mean dentists won害羞草研究所檛 need need to be registered in order for the program to succeed.