A Grade 9 student's proposal for universal dental care for Canadian youth has received the backing of New Democratic Party MP Paul Dewar, who said his party would look into the plan as a potential private member's bill.

Nepean High School student Strahinja Nesic won an essay-writing contest in Dewar's riding of Ottawa Centre, in which youth were asked to envision how they would improve the country.

Nesic, 15, said he wanted to see Canada make dental care a part of Canadian health-care coverage for people under the age of 18 by the year 2016, or 50 years after the passage of the Medical Care Act in 1966.

Nesic said poor dental health has been linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and that helping youth now can save health-care resources down the road.

He also points out that dental problems at a young age can affect a young person's well-being and mental health.

Motion tabled in House of Commons

"It is difficult to be proud and toothless at the same time," said Nesic at a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday.

"We have so many reasons for our smile, as millions of Canadians work hard to ensure we have a happy, healthy, safe and secure childhood," said Nesic.

Dewar said he has tabled a motion in the House of Commons for the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to provide universal dental care to Canadians under the age of 18.

Dewar said having tabled the motion, his party would look into putting it into a private member's bill, but he said that process could take some time and would likely take place in the fall of 2010.

Study finds inequities of care

About 17 per cent of Canadians avoid the dentist because of cost, according to a joint report from Health Canada, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada released in May of 2010.

The Canada Health Measures Survey also found that among the 83 per cent that did go to the dentist, about 16.5 per cent declined recommended care because of costs.

Nearly half of lower-income Canadians with at least one natural tooth — 46.6 per cent — needed one or more types of treatment, according to the survey conducted from 2007 to 2009 of more than 5,600 Canadians.

Only about a quarter of people with a higher income were in need of treatment, the survey found.