Health Canada is touting the major uptake of its public dental insurance program, but data shows that nearly half of the 5.2 million eligible patients have yet to see a dentist.

Of the Canadians approved for coverage, 2.8 million have been to a dental clinic, Health Canada says. And to date, those visits have cost taxpayers $3.37 billion.

The new data comes six months after the Canadian Dental Care Plan expanded significantly to cover 18- to 64-year-olds. So far, 1.8 million people in this newest cohort are approved for the plan. A quarter of them have actually used it so far.

Health Minister Marjorie Michel says having people enrolled is the first step.

“It’s still a new program,” Michel said Thursday at a news conference at a community centre in Ottawa. “To have people enrolled in the program is key for them to have the opportunity to go.”

“It’s like, you can go to your doctor, and you don’t feel the need to go tomorrow morning, but you still can go to the doctor. It’s just the same.”

Health Canada also now says close to 100 per cent of active dentists, denturists and independent dental hygienists are treating patients through the program. It’s a significant milestone considering initial uptake from dentists was low.

The national insurance program subsidizes the cost of dental care for Canadian residents with a family net income below $90,000 if they don’t have access to a private insurance plan.

The program helps pay for a range of dental work, including cleanings, fillings and dentures. Health Canada says that on average, each patient has had $800 in expenses covered per year.