Quebec dentists want out of medicare

The Quebec Association of Dental Surgeons is calling on members to opt out of the province's insurance plan because it says the fees are too low.

CBC obtained a copy of a letter addressed to Quebec dentists in which association president Serge Langlois asks they pull out of medicare and start charging for services provided to social assistancerecipients and children under age 10.

The move is unavoidable given the lack of progress in negotiations for a higher fee structure, Langlois wrote.

"We do not really wish to go to these extremes, but the government's attitude forces us to do so," the letter reads. "Sometimes exceptional pressure tactics are simply indispensable."

The association is reportedly poised to announce Monday it plans to opt out of the public dental care plan in 30 days.

It wantsthe province to increase its fee scale by 35 per cent because coverage hasn't been adjusted in a decade.

The associationrefused an interview request.

Quebec's Health Ministry said it won't comment on negotiations because they are private, but the department is confident an agreement with the association would be reached.