Federal funding is helping support Virtual Reality training for dental hygiene students at Canadore College.
MP Pauline Rochefort announced over $630,000 on a recent tour of the college.
“I was impressed with the learning environment and the attention to detail of the instructors and students of the Dental Hygiene program at Canadore,” says Rochefort. “After touring the training facilities and speaking with the key players, I have no doubt the funding dollars will be put to good use and will only augment the learning experience and outcomes for patients.”
George Burton, Canadore President and CEO, says they appreciate the funding for the project, entitled ‘VR Training for Dental Hygiene Students: Addressing Mild Cognitive Impairment’.
“Our dental hygiene students already gain valuable hands-on experience through the student-led clinic at The Village,” he says. “This new VR module will further enhance their education by equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to work effectively with patients experiencing early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It represents an important step in training well-rounded, practice-ready dental professionals.”
The money comes from Health Canada’s Oral Health Access Fund.
Ottawa says as of late November 2025, nearly six million Canadians are now covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and can receive the dental care they need.
In Ontario, over 2.3 million are covered under the CDCP, and nearly one million residents have already received care from participating oral health providers in the current benefit year (2025-26).
