News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2020/02/19

Chinese study finds COVID-19 virus to be more contagious than SARS or MERS. ctvnews.ca, Feb 19: While the resulting disease, COVID-19, is not as fatal on a case-by-case basis, its greater spread has already led to more deaths than its related coronaviruses. Read more

What researchers have learned about the spread and severity of the coronavirus. cbc.ca, Feb 19: The picture of the coronavirus outbreak now coming into focus is one of mostly mild cases, with increased risk of severe symptoms and death for the elderly and patients with pre-existing conditions, a new Chinese study suggests. Read more

COVID-19: Death toll tops 2,000 while new cases in China decrease for 2nd day. globalnews.ca, Feb 18: Protective suit-clad inspectors in the epicenter of China’s viral outbreak went door-to-door Wednesday to find every infected person in the central city suffering most from an epidemic that is showing signs of waning as new cases fell for a second day. Read more

COVID-19: Passengers begin leaving Japanese cruise ship after quarantine ends. globalnews.ca, Feb 18: About 500 passengers left the cruise ship Diamond Princess on Wednesday at the end of a much-criticized two-week quarantine aboard the vessel, docked in Japan, that failed to stop the spread of the new virus among passengers and crew. Read more

China sees fall in coronavirus deaths but WHO urges caution. theglobeandmail.com, Feb 18: China reported its fewest new infections of coronavirus since January and its fewest deaths for a week, but the World Health Organization said data suggesting the epidemic had slowed should still be viewed with caution. Read more

Coronavirus claims life of hospital director in hard-hit Wuhan. cbc.ca, Feb 18: Liu is at least the seventh health worker to die of the COVID-19 disease among the more than 1,700 doctors and nurses who have become sick. Read more

Shanghai doctors trying plasma infusions to treat patients with coronavirus. cbc.ca, Feb 17: A top emergency expert at the World Health Organization (WHO) said later that using convalescent plasma was a "very valid" approach to test, but that it was important to get the timing right to maximize the boost to a patient's immunity. Read more

Canadians on coronavirus-hit cruise ship await repatriation as Americans land home. cbc.ca Feb 17: On Saturday, the Canadian government said it had chartered a plane to bring home many of the 255 Canadians aboard Diamond Princess, off Yokohama, Japan. Read more

Nurses’ unions warn Canadian standards for coronavirus protection are too low. theglobeandmail.com, Feb 16: The standards, which the Public Health Agency of Canada updated last week, lay out the precautions health-care workers should take when assessing and treating a patient with a possible case of the coronavirus, including what protective equipment should be used. Read more

Canada Health Agency to review protocol for health workers and coronavirus. nationalobserver.com, Feb 17: The Public Health Agency of Canada says it will review its protocols for health-care workers after nurses' unions denounced the national guidelines set out for dealing with the novel coronavirus earlier this month. Read more

More than 80% of COVID-19 cases have been mild, says new Chinese health report. globalnews.ca, Feb 17: Health officials in China have published the first details on nearly 45,000 cases of the novel coronavirus that originated there, saying more than 80 per cent have been mild and new ones seem to be falling since early this month, although it’s far too soon to tell whether the outbreak has peaked. Read more

There’s an epidemic out there, and we need to clean up our act. thestar.com, Feb 14 [OPINION]: Welcome to hygiene, our reborn obsession, our new commander. The eruption and rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus has birthed a sudden interest in new concepts, from “zoonotic” (can spread from animal to human) to “wash your hands” (to a surgical level) to “don’t touch your face” (or anyone else’s, presumably). Read more

What you need to know now about the coronavirus: New method of diagnosing illness. cbc.ca, Feb 13: A new method of diagnosing the illness caused by novel coronavirus is allowing front-line medical workers in China to get patients into care more quickly and public health departments to then track down people who may have come into contact with the virus. Read more

Q&A How to protect yourself when travelling during the coronavirus (COVID-2019) outbreak. youtube.com, Feb 12: WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV with Dr Carmen Dolea, Head, IHR Secretariat at the World Health Organization. Watch 22:44

Demand for face masks causes concern among Canadian health-care workers. globalnews.ca, Feb 13: Demand for face masks in Canada remains high, despite Canadian health officials advising that they won’t necessarily protect the general public from the new coronavirus. “There’s been consistent demand since the whole coronavirus issue started in January, it hasn’t really gone away,” Barry Power, who works with the Canadian Pharmacist Association said. Read more

Canadian research officials return from Geneva with plan to tackle coronavirus. nationalpost.com, Feb 13: Canada will aim $6.5 million at research on stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus, after co-ordinating with researchers around the world on tackling the outbreak. Read more

Coronavirus: The worst-case scenario. macleans.ca, Feb 13 [OPINION]: Timothy Sly: If the virus is allowed to enter a population and circulate, some people will die, while the majority will acquire immunity, finally bringing the pandemic to a halt. Read more

To fight coronavirus, China seizes hospitals and expels patients with other diseases. natioanlpost.com, Feb 12: Chinese authorities have begun emergency requisitioning of private hospitals, hotels, apartments, cars and even face masks as the country’s rising number of coronavirus patients threatens to overwhelm local government facilities. Read more

Health care coalition pushes Liberals for pharmacare funding in next budget. globalnews.ca, Feb 17: A coalition of 150 health care organizations and non-profits is calling on Finance Minister Bill Morneau to make sure there is funding in the coming federal budget to launch the first phase of a universal drug plan by 2022. Read more

Federal NDP seek provincial support for national pharmacare plan. theglobeandmail.com, Feb 13 (25 similar stories published): The New Democrats are asking the provinces to support their promised universal pharmacare legislation, hoping to win premiers over by calling on Ottawa to increase federal health transfers. Read more

Dentists worried about shortage of masks in light of new coronavirus outbreak. ctvnews.ca, Feb 13 (60 similar stories published): The Ontario Ministry of Health says it's working with manufacturers of medical masks to address shortage concerns expressed by dentists in light of the new coronavirus outbreak, according to a memo sent to the provincial regulator for dentistry. … The Canadian Dental Association has contacted distributors of masks, gloves and other protective equipment because of concerns raised by dentists across the country, said Aaron Burry, its associate director of professional affairs. Read more

Program reforms, universal care among [Prince Edward] County’s input on provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy. countylive.ca, Feb 18: A basic living wage, reforms of provincial programs and universal pharma and dental care are among reforms the County is recommending the province consider in its Poverty Reduction Strategy. Read more

Mayor to bring forward proposal to aid expanded dentistry program coming to P.A. University of Saskatchewan campus. paherald.sk.ca, Feb 18: Dionne made the announcement after meeting with Dr. Doug Brothwell, the dean at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Dentistry, in Saskatoon on Feb. 13. The goal is to create five designated stalls specifically for clients of the expanded dentistry program scheduled to start at the campus this fall Read more

Quebec dentists to withdraw en masse from public health-care system Friday. montrealgazette.com, Feb 14: More than 1,300 dentists are withdrawing from Quebec’s public health-care system Friday in a protest designed to inundate the health ministry in paperwork. Read more

1350 dentistes se désengagent de l’assurance maladie. ici.radio-canada.ca, 14 février : Mécontents des négociations qui piétinent avec le gouvernement Legault, plus de 1300 dentistes se désengageront de la Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) vendredi. Lire plus

Cuts to Sudbury's discretionary benefits budget mean less money for funerals but better access to dental care. cbc.ca, Feb 12: People in the City of Greater Sudbury who depend on social assistance to get by are going to see a cut in funeral rate reimbursements and denture replacements. But another change will make it easier to access dental care. Read more

Dental clinic for seniors, low income adults opens doors. woodstocksentinelreview.com, Feb 13: Four years of work on creating a community dental care program came to fruition Thursday with the opening of a dental clinic for low income adults at the Oxford County Community Health Centre. Read more

IADR Names New Award in Honour Of Dentistry Prof. dentistry.utoronto.ca, Feb 10: The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) has named a new award in honour of U of T Dentistry professor, Barry J. Sessle. The award, to be called the IADR INfORM Barry J Sessle Postdoctoral award, will be awarded annually to a postdoctoral researcher working in a higher academic institution, and will be worth $1,000 USD. Read more

Anil Kishen honoured by American Association of Endodontics. dentistry.utoronto.ca< Feb 10: For his cumulative and significant research impact with an “extraordinary contribution to endodontology,” professor Anil Kishen is being recognized with the Louis I. Grossman award from the American Association of Endodontics. Read more

Over $1M in CIHR grants for Dentistry researchers. dentistry.utoronto.ca, Feb 10: Three research projects at the Faculty of Dentistry have garnered over $1M in Canadian Institutes of Health research funding for their research. Read more

Is SmileDirectClub safe? Teeth-straightening service slams NBC report on 'painful problems'. usatoday.com, Feb 14 (34 similar stories published): Is SmileDirectClub's teeth-straightening service medically sound? NBC News called that into question with a report Thursday citing dozens of Better Business Bureau customer complaints about the clear-plastic aligner treatment, saying it has led to "painful problems for some people." Read more

Opinion: Direct-to-you tooth alignment poses serious risks. thehill.com, Feb 19: … thousands of people in this country are spending millions of dollars so they can perform their own tooth alignment. That’s right, they are paying companies hundreds and even thousands of dollars so they can be their very own dentist. Read more

At-home teeth-straightening: Orthodontists warn against treatment. wsbtv.com, Feb 12: Have you ever heard of at-home teeth-straightening? In advertisements on social media, SmileDirectClub promises a better smile for a fraction of the cost of treatment by a traditional orthodontist. However, some customers say, instead, they were left in worse shape than they started. Read more

Dentists, lawmakers call for more regulation of DIY orthodontics. boston25news.com, Feb 12: Boston 25 Investigates found members of Congress, dozens of attorneys general, and public health boards across the country are asking for more regulations -- as are several patients like Sharon Snowdale. Read more

Google ordered to reveal author of Australian dentist's bad review. bbc.com, Feb 14: An Australian court has ordered Google to identify the person behind an anonymous bad review of a dentist. Dr. Matthew Kabbabe, a teeth-whitening specialist in Melbourne, sought the order so he could sue for defamation. Read more

Face mask shortage risks 'imminent disruption' to UK dental services. bda.org, Feb 13: The BDA has warned the shortage of face masks sparked by the coronavirus outbreak now poses an imminent risk of disruption to UK dental services, unless officials and industry are prepared to ease rationing. Read more

Landenberg [Pennsylvania] chemist invents unique tartar-reducing toothpaste. southernchestercountyweeklies.com, Feb 15: Although the dental companies said it couldn’t be done, and most dentists and hygienists still are skeptical that it works, after nearly nine years and countless formulations, Gontarz invented and patented a toothpaste that does exactly what he wanted. Read more

Modernize scope of practice for health-care professionals, researchers say. medicalxpress.com, Feb 12:... And while dental therapists are used in at least 50 countries, professional organizations representing dentists have successfully opposed legislation to introduce dental therapists widely across the United States to provide oral health care in underserved communities. Read more

UnitedHealthcare Helps Confront the Opioid Epidemic with New Oral Health Public Toolkit. businesswire.com, Feb 19: -UnitedHealthcare has expanded its efforts to help address the connection between dental care and the opioid epidemic, introducing a public toolkit with information to help support oral health care professionals and patients, especially after wisdom-teeth removal for teens and young adults. Read more

Study Reveals How Too Much Fluoride Causes Defects in Tooth Enamel. nyu.edu, Feb 18: Exposing teeth to excessive fluoride alters calcium signaling, mitochondrial function, and gene expression in the cells forming tooth enamel — a novel explanation for how dental fluorosis, a condition caused by overexposure to fluoride during childhood, arises. Read more

AI measures blood flow in real time, predicting heart attack and stroke, study finds. beckershospitalreview.com, Feb 17: An artificial intelligence technique developed by the National Institutes of Health to immediately measure blood flow from imaging data could potentially improve physicians' abilities to predict heart attack, stroke, heart failure and death, a new study suggests. Read more

Ethical concerns around use of artificial intelligence in health care research from the perspective of patients with meningioma, caregivers and health care providers: a qualitative study. cmajopen.ca, Feb 18: s artificial intelligence (AI) approaches in research increase and AI becomes more integrated into medicine, there is a need to understand perspectives from members of the Canadian public and medical community. The aim of this project was to investigate current perspectives on ethical issues surrounding AI in health care. Read more

Journal retracts hotly contested paper on vaping and heart attacks. retractionwatch.com, Feb 18: The Journal of the American Heart Association retracted a research paper today [Tuesday] that linked vaping to heart attacks. Read more

How Canadian teens can still buy e-cigarettes online. globalnews.ca, Feb 16: Minors may be barred from purchasing vaping products in Canada, but e-cigarettes remain popular among teens thanks to online marketplaces. Watch 2:02

E-cigarette use up among N.L.'s youth, according to government numbers. cbc.ca, Feb 13: The Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Survey suggests nearly half of the province's students from Grade 7 to 12 have used vaporizers and e-cigarettes. Read more

Vaping risk awareness campaign launches in Newfoundland and Labrador. atlantic.ctvnews.ca, Feb 12: Newfoundland and Labrador is contributing $75,000 to an advertising campaign intended to raise awareness about the risks of youth vaping. Read more

Nunavut government plans to overhaul tobacco laws. nunatsiaq.com, Feb 17: Public consultations underway for proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control and Smoke-Free Places Act. Nunavummiut can give their input into the Government of Nunavut’s proposed changes to the territory’s Tobacco Control and Smoke-Free Places Act. Read more

The great vape debate: are e-cigarettes saving smokers or creating new addicts? theguardian.com, Feb 18: The US is cracking down on vaping while the UK is promoting e-cigarettes as an aid to giving up smoking. Where does the truth lie? Read more

City aims to ban hookah and shisha smoking on all Toronto patios. toronto.com, Feb 14: The City of Toronto is looking to extend its crackdown on hookah lounges by prohibiting smoking on patios, workplaces and other outdoor areas, in a ban similar to the one on cigarette smoking. Read more

Seniors study aims to find out if medical cannabis can ease common ailments of aging. cbc.ca, Feb 17: Pilot study of long-term care residents tests therapeutic effects of cannabidiol on seniors. Read more

The growing push for medical use of psilocybin in Canada. ctvnerws.ca, Feb 15: Growing evidence about the powers of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by several species of mushrooms, being used to treat anxiety and depression has inspired advocates to file a federal court challenge next month to allow its use to treat terminally ill patients. Read more

Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. cmaj.ca, Feb 10: Emerging evidence shows the potential harms of overuse of social media and the Internet on young brains. In the last decade, increasing mental distress and treatment for mental health conditions among youth in North America has paralleled a steep rise in the use of smartphones and social media by children and adolescents. Read more

Dalhousie University – Current course offerings

McGill University – Continuing dental education

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry University – Continuing professional development

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

February 20-22: Chicago Dental Society 155th Midwinter Meeting – Kaleidoscope View 2020, in Chicago, Illinois. Read more

March 5-7: Pacific Dental Conference in Vancouver, BC. Read more

March 19-20: Academy of Osseointegration 2020 Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA. Read more

March 18-21: IADR/AADR/CADR General Session – Washington, D.C. Read more

March 19-21: The Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Read more

April 2-4: The 2020 Manitoba Dental Association & Canadian Dental Association Convention –Seeing Dentistry Clearly, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Read more

May 7-9: Ontario Dental Association ASM20 Annual Spring Meeting, in Toronto, Ontario. Read more

May 14-16: California Dental Association (CDA) – Presents the Art & Science of Dentistry, Anaheim, California. Read more

May 21-23: Alberta Dental Association & College, Alberta Wellness Summit, in Edmonton, Alberta. Read more

May 29-June 2: Journées dentaires internationales du Québec, in Montreal, Quebec. Read more

September 1-4: FDI World Dental Congress in Shanghai, China. Read more

September 10-12: California Dental Association (CDA) – Presents the Art & Science of Dentistry, in San Francisco, CA. Save the date

October 1-3: Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics 28th Annual Scientific Meeting in Toronto, Ontario. Read more

October 4: North West Dental Exposition in Edmonton, Alberta. Read more

October 15-18: American Dental Association ADA FDC 2020 in Orlando, Florida. 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