Having a dental clinic on campus is a double-edged sword. More students will have better teeth, but it’s going to cost more for everyone.

University of Saskatchewan’s undergraduate students’ council will vote on increasing the amount students are charged for dental coverage at its Feb. 14 meeting.

The potential hike comes as the union prepares to see a significant boost in dental claims once a new dental clinic opens in lower Place Riel in the coming months.

Dental coverage currently costs University of Saskatchewan undergraduates $101.57 per year while health coverage costs $136.85. Full-time undergraduates — students enrolled in at least nine credits per term — are automatically covered through the USSU but can choose to opt out of the plans.

Part-time students are not automatically covered but may enrol in the plans.

The dental plan covers 70 per cent of the costs for exams, cleanings, fillings, tooth removal and 50 per cent of the costs for oral surgery, gum treatments and root canals. The plan does not cover major restorative work like crowns and bridges.

Students can receive an additional 20 per cent of coverage on dental costs if they visit a practice that is a member of the Dental Network, which Campus Dentist is.

Amanda Smytaniuk is the prairies program manager for Student Care, the U of S Students’ Union and the Graduate Students’ Association health and dental plan provider. Symtaniuk will be on hand at the Feb. 7 student council meeting to answer any questions that the USSU executive, councillors or students have regarding the expected raises.

Symtaniuk said that the USSU and the GSA should be ready for a 30 per cent increase in claims on dental plans over the next two years and pointed out that the plan’s premium will rise as fees are increased to match rising claims.

The USSU has the option to not increase the dental fee next year, Symtaniuk said, adding that if they choose to hold off on an increase, the union will have to raise the fee by the full 30 per cent the following year in order to compensate for the rising claims.

She recommended that the USSU raise its dental fee by 10 to 15 per cent for the 2013-14 school year. From Symtaniuk’s experience with other schools, it is expected to take two to three years for claims to level out.

A 10 per cent increase would add $9.27 to the cost of a year-long plan while the 15 per cent increase rings in at $13.91. The health fee will remain the same.

“I think taking the more conservative approach in this right now is the smartest way to do this because of all of the analysis we’ve done, the impact could be bigger, it could be smaller.” Symtaniuk. “You want to be prepared either way.”

When the University of Waterloo had dentists rent space on campus, the dental plan provided by its students’ union changed drastically. Over two years, the dental fee increased by 100 per cent, graduate students were removed from the plan and substantial cuts were made to the plan’s benefits.

Symtaniuk said that although what happened at the U of W is hard to compare with the U of S, the USSU should still prepare students for a spike in claims by gradually increasing the fee.

The USSU bylaw states that any change to a student fee that is greater than $10 must be put to a referendum. However, student health and dental fees are an exception and may be changed by any amount without going to an undergraduate vote.

Campus Dentist was expected to move into the open bay in lower Place Riel when classes resumed in January but the date has been pushed back to May.

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Photo: Illuminaut/Flickr