News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2018/03/28
Top News
American Dental Association Announces New Policy to Combat Opioid Epidemic
NDP MPP Teresa Armstrong spoke about one of her constituents struggling with access to dental care during question period (Watch starting at 55:20)
Vanthof Takes Liberals to Task Over Dental Care
Canadian dentistry news
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami will have say in how some federal money for Inuit is spent. cbc.ca/news: With the federal government promising hundreds of millions of dollars for Inuit priorities, the head of the national organization, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, says it’s time for Inuit aspirations for self-determination to mature into adulthood. Read more
NDP MPP Teresa Armstrong spoke about one of her constituents struggling with access to dental care during question period. TVO: Minister of Health, Helena Jaczek, responded by saying the party affirmed in the throne speech that Ontarians would be assured dental care and she referred specifically to Healthy Smiles Ontario, working groups with the ODA and that there would be something in the budget for dental care. Watch (starting at 55:20)
Vanthof Takes Liberals to Task Over Dental Care. mywestnipissingnow.com: Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof says the Liberals are failing seniors when it comes to dental care. Read more
‘The crisis has worsened’: Opioid-related deaths on the rise in Canada. ctvnews.ca: Opioid-related overdose deaths are drastically rising in Canada, with an estimated 4,000 people losing their lives to such drugs in 2017, new data from the Public Health Agency of Canada reveals. Read more
Use of ‘catastrophic’ drug plan surges in Ontario, study says. theglobeandmail.com: There are almost 130,000 Ontario residents who have “catastrophic” drug expenses and need government assistance to cover their costly medications, a new study shows. Read more
Dentists should beware of provincial dental plan. thestar.com [LETTER]: As an optometrist practising in Ontario for nearly 28 years, I would highly recommend Ontario’s dentists not entertain any government plan to fund dental services. Since 1989, the government has increased funding in community eye care by only 16 per cent — yes 16 per cent — over nearly 30 years. Read more
Self-regulation of health professions ‘on its way to the dustbin of history’; Some of the loudest calls for reform are coming from those inside the system. torontostar.com: There have long been calls for major reform of Ontario’s oversight system for health professionals. Now some of the loudest calls are coming from those inside the system. Read more
Dent intelligente : un capteur pour analyser vos repas. futura-sciences.com: Des chercheurs américains ont développé un capteur adhésif à coller sur une dent qui peut analyser la consommation de glucose, de sel et d’alcool et transmettre les informations à un smartphone. Read more
Nestle uses new technology to slash sugar content in candy bars. ctvnews.ca: Nestle has created a new version of its Milkybar that contains 30 per cent less sugar, thanks to a new proprietary technology that alters the sugar’s structure. Read more
Poor dental health remains a problem in CK. chathamthisweek.com: Chatham-Kent’s medical officer of health has said he is pleased to see Ontario’s political parties beginning a discussion about expanding dental coverage. Although he would not comment on any specific policy proposals, Dr. David Colby said greater access to dental care is needed both in Chatham-Kent and Ontario as a whole. Read more
He went to the dentist for a routine checkup. Then he noticed the strange lump growing on his hand. nationalpost.com: After a routine trip to the dentist, a Vancouver resident developed a deadly heart infection, as well as a bizarre, bulging lump on his right hand. The curious case was published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine by UBC doctors Bashaar K. Alibrahim and George Wharmby. Alibrahim and Wharmby speculate that it was “possibly related to poor oral hygiene and a recent dental procedure.” Read more
International dentistry news
American Dental Association Announces New Policy to Combat Opioid Epidemic. ada.org: The American Dental Association (ADA) today announced a new policy on opioids supporting mandates on prescription limits and continuing education in what could be the first of its kind among major health care professional organizations. Read more
Americans take more pain pills — but not because they’re in more pain. washingtonpost.com: Americans consume prescription opioids at a greater rate than any other population in the world, according to research data. Could this outsized level of prescribing be a rational, appropriate response to an unusually high level of pain in the U.S. population? Read more
Ohio Senate Considers Dental Therapy Bill. heartland.org: A bill that would authorize dental therapists in Ohio is under consideration in the state’s Senate Committee on Health, Human Services, and Medicaid. Read more
‘Dental deserts’ a problem in rural America. kearneyhub.com: Access to dental care is a serious and worsening health problem in rural America. But now many states are beginning to enact legislation that could ease the pain. Read more
Australian dentists seek political support in resisting intrusion by insurers. theaustralian.com.au: Dentists are lobbying the major political parties to support patient savings accounts in an effort to limit the influence of health insurers on the industry. Read more
Free dental care more widely available than people think. northerndailyleader.com: An Tamworth dentist says people need to brush-up on what free dental help is available for their kids, as new data reveals more than one-third of children under the age of six have rotting baby teeth. Read more
Testing for hepatitis C lags with baby boomers despite high infection rate. washingtonpost.com: A study published Tuesday showed that only about 13 percent of baby boomers were tested in 2015, up just slightly from 12 percent in 2013. Read more
Loan forgiveness program attracts dentists to the Iron Range. businessnorth.com: There is a well-documented shortage of dentists who will practice general dentistry full-time on the Iron Range Statewide […]. Student debt most palpably deters dental school graduates from pursuing a career in rural northern Minnesota. […] A nine-year-old competitive loan forgiveness program hopes to alleviate that situation by providing incentives to attract dentists who will provide services to the communities in northeastern Minnesota and its underserved populations. Read more
New Survey Finds Large Number of People Skipping Necessary Medical Care Because of Cost. norc.org: About 40 percent of Americans report skipping a recommended medical test or treatment and 44 percent say they didn’t go to a doctor when they were sick or injured in the last year because of cost, according to a new national poll from NORC at the University of Chicago and the West Health Institute. Dental care also suffered. Nearly half say they went without a routine cleaning or check up in the last year, and 39 percent say they did not go to the dentist when they needed treatment. Read more
More cash will force the NHS to address tougher questions than money. theguardian.com: Hopes are rising for a solution to the funding crisis, but investment must be used to reshape the health service not perpetuate inefficiency. Read more
A Healthy Smile Never Gets Old: A California Report on the Oral Health of Older Adults. centerfororalhealth.org: The study, released by Center for Oral Health, has uncovered a hidden epidemic of untreated tooth decay among older Californians 65 years and older. Read more
CDAA Weekly E-Newsbrief – March 28, 2018. cdaa.ca: Read more
Clinical & scientific news
Investigating the enigmatic link between periodontal inflammation and retinal degeneration. sciencedaily.com: Many clinical studies link Chronic Periodontitis (CP) to various systemic disorders and lately age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in elderly, is found to be associated with periodontal disease. Read more
Dental oral craniofacial tissue regeneration consortia. sciencedaily.com: The ability to robustly and predictably regenerate dental, oral and craniofacial (DOC) tissues through tissue engineering and/or regenerative medicine strategies is a major goal for clinicians. Read more
Effects of periodontitis on the colon microbiome. sciencedaily.com: Severe gum disease is among the most prevalent chronic infection in particular in African-American populations and is associated with complex microbial infection in the sub-gingival cavity. Read more
Patients more likely to accept robotic dentistry for non-invasive procedures. medicalxpress.com: In an online survey of 502 individuals (260 female), participants were ‘significantly less willing to undergo more invasive procedures, such as gum surgery and a root canal, and significantly more willing to undergo procedures such as tooth cleaning or whitening performed by a robot. Read more
Accidental activist: life changes lead dentist to speak on opioid harms. ada.org: The knock that changed Dr. Sharon Parsons life came early. It came around 3 a.m. on Sept. 21, 2015. There are no good knocks at 3 a.m. Read more
April JADA examines opioids and dentistry. ada.org: The April issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association focuses on the subject of opioids and dentistry. Tour cover articles look at. Read more
Health care providers less likely to offer HPV vaccination to teenage boys, study suggests. abcnews.go.com: A new study has revealed that health care providers may be failing to routinely offer the HPV vaccine to boys, potentially putting them at risk of cancer later in life. Read more
Global use of antibiotics soars as resistance crisis worsens. cbsnews.com: Yet despite this growing health crisis, new research shows worldwide use of antibiotics skyrocketed between 2000 and 2015, largely driven by dramatic increases in low-income and middle-income countries. Read more
76% of sports sponsorships tied to junk food, study says. cnn.com: The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, reveals that 76% of food products shown in ads promoting a sports organization sponsorship are unhealthy and that 52.4% of beverages shown in sports sponsorship ads are sugar-sweetened. Read more
Midlife tooth loss may compromise heart health. medicalnewstoday.com: Tooth loss in middle age is tied to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of traditional risk factors such as high blood pressure, poor diet, and diabetes. Read more
Omissions On Death Certificates Lead To Undercounting Of Opioid Overdoses. npr.org: Standards for how to investigate and report on overdoses vary widely across states and counties. As a result, opioid overdose deaths aren’t always captured in the data reported to the federal government. The country is undercounting opioid-related overdoses by 20 to 35 percent, according to a study published in February in the journal Addiction. Read more
Mind your business
5 great ways to retain dental patients. dentistryiq.com: What’s harder than getting a new dental patient? Answer: Keeping a new dental patient. Read more
Patient information
6 Habits That Harm Your Teeth. mouthhealthy.org: How to break them. Read more
Your health & medical news
Have Back Pain? medlineplus.gov: How to treat and prevent it. Read more
Cut calories by 15% to stay young, study says. cnn.com: New research suggests that cutting calories by 15% for two years can slow the metabolic process that leads to aging and protect against age-related diseases. Read more
Doctors have no idea how much drugs cost — a Toronto physician wants to change that. torontostar.com: A Toronto MD is urging the province to mandate drug cost transparency by having prices pop up in the electronic medical record, so when doctors write prescriptions they can talk about affordability with patients. Read more
Why It’s So Hard to Reform Canadian Health Care. nytimes.com [OPINION]: Too many Canadians and Americans are negatively fixated on each other’s health systems — and the distortions that accompany so many conversations about health reform make it harder to improve care on both sides of the border. Read more
Sugary Sodas Linked Again to Increased Heart Risks. webmd.com: New research found that adults over 45 who drank an average of 24 ounces or more of sugar-sweetened beverages every day had more than double the risk of dying from heart disease over a 6-year study period than those who averaged an ounce or less of sugar-sweetened beverages daily. Read more
Continuing education matters
Dalhousie University – Current course offerings
McGill University – Winter 2017 continuing education – upcoming courses
Université Laval – Formation continue
University of Manitoba – Continuing professional development
Université de Montréal – Formation dentaire continue
University of Alberta – Program and courses
University of British Columbia – Calendar of courses
University of Saskatchewan – Continuing professional dental education
University of Toronto – Continuing dental education
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry University – Continuing professional development
April 18-21 – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Read more
April 26-28 – Ontario Dental Association – ASM18 Annual Spring Meeting, in Toronto, Ontario. Read more
May 17-19 – CDA (California Dental Association) Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry, in Anaheim, California. Read more
May 24-27 – Alberta Dental Association and College – Jasper Dental Congress, in Jasper, Alberta. Read more
May 25-29 – Journées dentaires internationales du Québec, in Montréal, Québec. Registration now open
May 31-June 2 – Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association Oral Health Convention, in Gander, NL. Read more
June 7-9 – Academy of General Dentistry – AGD2018, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Read more
June 20-23 – Annual Meeting of the American Dental Society of Europe, in Biarritz, France. Read more
August 22-25 – CDA Convention, hosted by the Dental Association of PEI. Save the date
August 31-September 2 – 24th International Association for Disability and Oral Health Congress, in Dubai, UAE. Registration now open
September 5-8, – FDI World Dental Congress, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Read more
September 6-8 – 2017 Saskatchewan Oral Health Conference, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Save the dates
September 27-29: 26th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, in Montreal, Quebec. Save the date
October 18-22 – ADA 2018 America’s Dental Meeting, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Save the date
November 25-28 – Greater NY Dental Meeting 2018, in New York, NY. Read more
Please let us know about upcoming continuing education meetings that could be of interest to Canadian dentists by emailing us at oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca
Dental industry news
GlaxoSmithKline Is Buying Out Novartis’s Share in Their Consumer Health Joint Venture. fortune.com: GlaxoSmithKline has had a consumer health joint venture with Switzerland’s Novartis for the last few years. However, GSK has just struck a $13 billion deal with its partner to take control of the whole thing. Read more
Dentsply Sirona Announces Acquisition of Technology Solutions Provider OraMetrix. news.dentsplysirona.com: The Dental Solutions Company™, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire OraMetrix, a leading industry provider of innovative 3-D technology solutions improving the quality and efficiency of orthodontic care. Read more
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From Henry Schein Canada
From Patterson Canada
From Sinclair Dental