Dr. Peter Doig speaks about the National Oral Health Action Plan (NOHAP) Symposium

Dr. Peter Doig with Dr. Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, President of the Canadian Medical Association

Dr. John O’Keefe, Director of Knowledge Networks at the Canadian Dental Association, interviewed Dr. Peter Doig, President of the Canadian Dental Association, about the National Oral Health Action Plan (NOHAP) Symposium that was held in Ottawa on Feb 27th, 2014. 

Listen to the Audio Interview

Highlights of the Interview

• The most important take away of the meeting: for the first time, we brought together a group of organizations that are unlikely to be together in one room. We brought together healthcare delivery and patient advocacy organizations to discuss the deficiencies in oral healthcare delivery in Canada.  
• The symposium showed the willingness of all parties to hold an open discussion about oral healthcare and to foster a community of cooperation and collaboration to improve oral healthcare delivery in Canada. 
• Three priority areas emerged from the symposium: 
  • Community water fluoridation.
  • Oral healthcare delivery standards in long-term institutions. 
  • Oral healthcare for children, preschoolers and K-6 age groups. 
• Next steps:
  • Strengthen the relationships that we have developed with the participating organizations. 
  • Identify other organizations that could strengthen the developed coalition.
  • Complete the symposium report and share with the participants. 
  • To begin work on the identified areas of potential collaboration. 
• The symposium was the starting point of a long process that is paved with opportunities for future discussions and collaborations. 

NOHAP Sympoium Participating Organizations

• Provincial and territorial dental associations
• Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
• Canadian Dental Assistants Association
• Denturist Association of Canada
• Canadian Medical Association
• Canadian Pharmacists Association
• Canadian Nurses Association
• Canadian Association of Retired Persons
• Canadian Dental Regulatory Authorities Federation
• Canadian Dental Specialties Association
• Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry
• Royal Canadian Dental Corps
• Canadian Dental Therapists Association
• Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Canadian Public Health Association
• Canadian Teachers’ Federation
• Canadian Association of Social Workers
• Patients for Patient Safety Canada
• Patients Canada
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Canadian Paediatric Society
• Association of Dental Technologists of Ontario
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Assembly of First Nations
• Canadian Federal/Provincial/Territorial Dental Working Group
• Health Canada
• First Nations Health Authority of British Columbia
• Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
• Order of Dentists of Quebec
• Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia