Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing the time, I will try my best to do this quickly. Dental services are not provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories. They are provided by private clinics and private practitioners. That is for all residents of the Northwest Territories. Dental services are not an insured health service.

However, the department does administer portions of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program (NIHB) on behalf of the federal government, who do have some responsibility for ensuring that dental services are provided to those who are eligible for NIHB. The health authorities have and do enter into contracts on behalf of NIHB with dental providers, private businesses, to travel to the regions and communities that do not have local or resident dentists.

The actual dental services, as I have indicated, are provided by these private providers, and they will actually invoice the federal government directly for the cost of those services. Dental services are based on self-referral. Every resident can call a dental office or other to book their own appointments. They would do that directly with the dentist, not through the Health and Social Services system.

If dental services are not available in a home community, like Providence as an example of residents, those who are eligible for NIHB can make arrangements to travel to access dental services and have some of those costs covered through NIHB. In larger centres that have private dentist offices, individuals who are eligible for NIHB also book their own appointments directly with the dentist, and the dentist will invoice the federal government for coverage under NIHB program.

If services required are not covered by NIHB, which is the case for some procedures, or they exceed the benefit levels that are covered, then the cost is the responsibility of the individual. That is similar to individuals who are covered by employee dental insurance programs and other things, like our GNWT employees, who have some of the best benefits in the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.