Despite frequency of tooth injuries, dental coverage remains patchy across hockey leagues
After sustaining a blindside hit to his face, a junior hockey player in Manitoba must pay $30,000 for dental treatment for his injuries.
“It came from my blind side,” said Clint Torfason, recounting the hit he suffered playing for the Arborg Ice Dawgs in game three of a finals series against the Peguis Juniors. “Stick just game up whacked me right in the mouth and I went down instantly.”
Speaking to CBC News, Torfason recalled how he skated down the ice and spat out teeth and bone fragments into his cupped hands. “I thought every last tooth was gone," he said.
He needed to get stitches outside his mouth, but that wasn’t the worst of it. Five teeth across the upper right side of his jaw got knocked out. To correct the injuries, Torfason needs to get a bone graft from his hip and four implants; the dental bill is estimated at $25,000 to $30,000.
But according to Torfason, the total estimated cost is even higher, falling somewhere between $35,000 and $46,000. His mother’s Blue Cross insurance can cover $11,000, while Hockey Canada can take care of $5,000.
“They had to take out a loan. It's just so wrong,” said Jerry Maryniuk, an assistant manager for the Ice Dawgs. After a few inquiries, he found that the Keystone Junior Hockey League does not buy into extra dental coverage endorsed by Hockey Canada.
“Most junior hockey teams across Canada have this extra insurance," he said. "For whatever reason that wasn't communicated well enough to the leagues in Manitoba."
The national body governing amateur hockey, according to Maryniuk, has not made extra dental coverage mandatory — despite how many players end up with missing teeth during games.
Manitoba Health has refused to pay for any of Torfason’s surgery costs, saying that dental care is not an insured benefit within the province and dental or oral surgery coverage is only offered for procedures done in hospital.
An online donation campaign is under way to raise funds for Torfason. Maryniuk has also organized a social for the cause. But aside from these two fundraisers, the assistant manager is hoping that Manitoba Health reverses its decision and covers some of the surgical costs.
“Here's a kid that's lost five teeth, broken jaw, having to have bone grafts from his hip to his face to reconstruct basically — it sounds more than cosmetic,” he said. “It's a functional thing. It's survival basically.”
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“It came from my blind side,” said Clint Torfason, recounting the hit he suffered playing for the Arborg Ice Dawgs in game three of a finals series against the Peguis Juniors. “Stick just game up whacked me right in the mouth and I went down instantly.”
Speaking to CBC News, Torfason recalled how he skated down the ice and spat out teeth and bone fragments into his cupped hands. “I thought every last tooth was gone," he said.
He needed to get stitches outside his mouth, but that wasn’t the worst of it. Five teeth across the upper right side of his jaw got knocked out. To correct the injuries, Torfason needs to get a bone graft from his hip and four implants; the dental bill is estimated at $25,000 to $30,000.
But according to Torfason, the total estimated cost is even higher, falling somewhere between $35,000 and $46,000. His mother’s Blue Cross insurance can cover $11,000, while Hockey Canada can take care of $5,000.
“They had to take out a loan. It's just so wrong,” said Jerry Maryniuk, an assistant manager for the Ice Dawgs. After a few inquiries, he found that the Keystone Junior Hockey League does not buy into extra dental coverage endorsed by Hockey Canada.
“Most junior hockey teams across Canada have this extra insurance," he said. "For whatever reason that wasn't communicated well enough to the leagues in Manitoba."
The national body governing amateur hockey, according to Maryniuk, has not made extra dental coverage mandatory — despite how many players end up with missing teeth during games.
Manitoba Health has refused to pay for any of Torfason’s surgery costs, saying that dental care is not an insured benefit within the province and dental or oral surgery coverage is only offered for procedures done in hospital.
An online donation campaign is under way to raise funds for Torfason. Maryniuk has also organized a social for the cause. But aside from these two fundraisers, the assistant manager is hoping that Manitoba Health reverses its decision and covers some of the surgical costs.
“Here's a kid that's lost five teeth, broken jaw, having to have bone grafts from his hip to his face to reconstruct basically — it sounds more than cosmetic,” he said. “It's a functional thing. It's survival basically.”
Related stories:
Ex-CFL player’s plight reflects gap in athletes’ benefits
Insurers need to keep a close eye on CTE in sports, says provider
