News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2020/06/10

Online portal to connect buyers and sellers of COVID-19 supplies launched. ctvnews.ca, June 9: As the federal government continues to pack its shopping cart full of COVID-19 supplies, it's also launching a one-stop shop for Canadians hoping to do the same. A new portal was unveiled Tuesday that's intended to both help link commercial buyers and sellers of personal protective equipment and provide guidance to Canadians on what they may want to consider for themselves as they return to work. Read more

Coronavirus: Okanagan dentists mitigating transmission risks. globalnews.ca, June 9: A trip to the dentist now looks quite different than usual, as the industry is adapting to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more and Watch 2:24

An End? Or Simply a Transition… oralhealthgroup.com, June 8 [Viewpoint by Dr. Miller Smith, President-Elect, CAOMS and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Calgary]: In a few short months, we have been inundated with chat boards, editorials, news media, web blasts, and our government updates. Differing opinions, inconsistent information, disputable science and pure fear has become our mainstay at home. Read more

Dentists are back, but it’s not business as usual. baytoday.ca, June 7: Ontario Dental Association president says there’s a substantial backlog of patients. Read more

COVID-19: How dentist clinics have changed — and what they’re doing to keep patients safe. thespec.com, June 7: …dentists in Ontario have been given the go ahead by the province to reopen to treat less urgent patients — but with strict regulations, enhanced staff and patient screening, and an influx of PPE. Read more

Public attitudes on returning to dentistry post COVID-19 – the practice. dentistry.uk, June 10: As dental teams start to open their doors for face-to-face treatment, Michael Heffernan discusses what practices need to do to reassure and communicate. Read more

ADA, DTA ask Congress to suspend tariffs on ‘products necessary’ during pandemic. ada.org, June 10: The Dental Trade Alliance and American Dental Association are asking Congress to support a 90-day tariff suspension on products deemed essential to helping stop the spread of COVID-19. Read more

COVID-19 restrictions put strain on dental practices, newly graduated hygienists. local12.com, June 9: As millions of people try to find their paths forward from the coronavirus shutdown, some are running into red-tape roadblocks -- like newly graduated dental hygienists clenching their teeth over regulations that prohibit them from working. Read more

The path forward post-COVID from a dental student’s perspective. dentistryiq.com, June 9: Dental students are feeling just as unsettled as practitioners during the pandemic. Not only were their classes interrupted, but they have no idea what their jobs will look like in the future. Read more

Exclusive: Dental waiting list growing by 40,000 a day and could exceed one million by autumn. telegraph.co.uk, June 8: Serious complaints prioritised as strict coronavirus infection control rules reduce flow of patients to trickle amid reopening. Read more

Dentists: PPE costs will cripple service, as millions set to go without care. bda.org, June 7: The cost of PPE alone, ignoring other treatment costs, for treating a single patient using aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) – using high-speed instruments like a drill – was around 35-45 pence pre-pandemic, and could now stand at £20-30 depending on exact PPE requirements and usage. Read more

How the coronavirus will change your next dentist appointment. medicalxpress.com, June 8: …Four decades after the AIDS epidemic changed dentistry, requiring providers to wear gloves and goggles for the first time, the novel coronavirus is challenging the industry again to step up its sanitizing standards as patients begin to return for routine care amid a global pandemic. Read More

Ethics still important when it comes to advertising during pandemic recovery. ada.org, June 8: The ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs is cautioning dentists to avoid crossing ethical lines when it comes to advertising, especially during these turbulent times when many patients may be reluctant to make appointments for fear of coronavirus transmission. Read more

The Challenges of Pandemic Dental Care. nytimes.com, June 8: “We always did a lot with respect to personal protective equipment and keeping the office clean, and now we’re tweaking what we already did to be even safer.” Read more

Coronavirus: What's happening around the world Wednesday. cbc.ca, June 10: Canada's deaths related to COVID-19 pass 8,000. World economy on track for worst recession in a century, OECD says. Brazil's Supreme Court orders government to publish COVID-19 case, death totals. Ont. nursing homes have had 22 years to do safety upgrades. COVID-19 reveals deadly cost of delay. B.C. marks 4th straight day with no deaths from COVID-19. Alberta will move to Stage 2 of reopening on Friday, premier says. Largest school board in N.L. eyeing blended learning in September to counter drawbacks of online classes. Physical distancing creates new barriers for Nunavut child abuse victims. Read more

COVID-19 cases are on the rise among young adults, but health experts aren’t sure why. theglobeandmail.com, June 9: People in their 20s are helping to drive transmission of COVID-19 in many Ontario hot spots, but public-health experts say it’s unclear where they are getting infected, which could hamper efforts to contain further spread. Read more

Canadians increasingly wearing face masks, fear second wave of COVID-19: poll. theglobeandmail.com, July 9: Canadians are increasingly wearing protective face masks as they emerge from months of isolating at home to curb the spread of COVID-19, a new poll suggests. Read more

COVID-19 infects more than 50 Ontario health-care workers a day. thestar.com, June 8: Authorities are concerned with the high numbers of health-care workers still becoming infected with COVID-19 while the growth of new cases slows in the general population. Read more

Coronavirus: Ontario long-term care head warns of ‘real urgency’ ahead of 2nd wave. globalnews.ca, June 7: The head of the association representing Ontario’s long-term care homes is warning there is “real urgency” for the homes to address the issues exacerbated by the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic before a potential second wave hits. Read more

COVID-19, the new 'occupational disease'? Thousands of workers compensation claims filed over coronavirus infections. nationalpost.com, June 8: The majority of applications for aid in the four biggest provinces have been approved. But there's disagreement over how liberally aid should be meted out. Read more

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). who.int, June 9: Situation report - 141. Read more

Live updates: Nine states report significant uptick in coronavirus hospitalizations after Memorial Day. washingtonpost.com, June 10: New British study from researchers at Cambridge and Greenwich universities says that if everyone just wears masks in public it may be enough to stave off a second wave infections without requiring renewed lockdowns. Multiple D.C. National Guard members who were deployed at protests last week have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In Latin America, reports of gender-based violence have increased dramatically during the pandemic. Read more

Potential COVID-19 vaccine from China shows promise in animal tests, researchers say. theglobeandmail.com, June 10: A potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Chinese researchers showed promise in trials in monkeys, triggering antibodies and raising no safety issues. Read more

AstraZeneca wins fresh U.S. funding in race for COVID-19 treatment. reuters.com, June 9: ...The agreements, which are AstraZeneca’s second set of deals with authorities in the United States, are expected to help the drugmaker move two COVID-19 antibody therapies it has licensed from researchers into clinical studies in the next two months. Read more

Insurers limit which coronavirus tests they'll pay for. axios.com, June 10: Some large health insurers are only willing to cover coronavirus testing under certain circumstances — potentially undermining a key part of the U.S.' coronavirus response. Read more

Spain makes masks mandatory until coronavirus defeated. reuters.com, June 9: Spaniards must continue to wear masks indoors and outdoors if they cannot guarantee a 1.5 metre distance from other people. Read more

South Asia emerges as a new coronavirus hotspot. axios.com, June 9: India opened up restaurants, shopping malls and places of worship today even as it recorded a record-high 9,971 new coronavirus cases, the third-most worldwide behind Brazil and the U.S. Read more

Amazon is planning to build diagnostic labs as it ramps up Covid-19 testing for warehouse workers. cnbc.com, June 9: Amazon aims to test the bulk of its workers for Covid-19 every two weeks. To this end, the company is setting up its own Covid-19 testing labs at its fulfillment centers. Read more

Corning wins U.S. funding to boost vial output for COVID-19 vaccines. reuters.com, June 9: Glass maker Corning Inc said it would receive $204 million from the U.S. government to boost the manufacturing capacity of its vials that will be used to store coronavirus vaccines and treatments. Read more

The pandemic isn't hurting health care companies. axios.com, June 9: A global coronavirus pandemic, social unrest, mass unemployment, and the halting of medical procedures hasn't been enough to derail Wall Street's rosy view of the health care industry. Read more

How to counter vaccine skepticism if a coronavirus vaccine becomes available. fortune.com, June 9: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine underscores the role of vaccination in protecting the health of individuals and communities and maintaining the functions of modern society. Yet the desperate search for a vaccine against the novel coronavirus comes when hesitancy and skepticism about long-established and highly effective vaccines is a real and present danger to health. Read more

WHO walks back comments on asymptomatic transmission of coronavirus. axios.com, June 9: The World Health Organization clarified comments an official made on Monday that called asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus "very rare”. Read more

Coronavirus Vaccine: Researchers identify targets for COVID-19 vaccine using cancer immunotherapy tools. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, June 9: Using this strategy, the researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) believe a resulting vaccine would provide protection across the human population and drive a long-term immune response. Read more

World reports highest number of COVID-19 cases in a single day, WHO says. ctvnews.ca, June 8: More than 136,000 cases of the novel coronavirus were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday, the most reported in a single day so far during the pandemic, prompting a stark warning that the outbreak is getting worse globally. Read more

COVID-19 vaccine development pipeline gears up. thelancet.com, June 6: Vaccine makers are racing to develop COVID-19 vaccines and have advanced ten candidates into clinical trials. But challenges remain. Read more

Half of Canadian employers have a policy to address benefits during disability: survey. benefitscanada.ca, June 9: ...The survey…found 52 per cent of respondents said they have a policy to address benefits during periods of disability. ...The survey also found 45 per cent of employers require employees to contribute to health and dental plans, with disabled members contributing at the same dollar amount as active employees. Read more

Pandemic worsens Canada's deadly opioid overdose epidemic. cbc.ca, June 10: Ontario's coroner reported a 25% rise in fatal overdoses as advocates warn of increasingly toxic street drugs. Read more

New Brunswick -- Much-anticipated mandatory vaccination debate begins in N.B. legislature. cbc.ca, June 9: Education Minister Dominic Cardy…made the comments as a committee of the legislature began a long-awaited consideration of Bill 11, his legislation to eliminate philosophical and religious exemptions from the requirement for schoolchildren. Read more

Babylon Health app error allowed U.K. users to watch videos of other patients' private doctor visits. cbc.ca, June 9: A virtual medicine app under investigation by Alberta's privacy commissioner allowed some users in the United Kingdom to view video recordings of other patients' visits with their doctor. Read more

Top Canada health official frets over higher alcohol, junk food use during pandemic. nationalpost.com, June 7: Canada’s top health officer on Sunday expressed concern over higher consumption of alcohol and junk food during the coronavirus epidemic, suggesting this could be a sign of worsening mental health. Read more

Health Canada recalls six hand sanitizers containing industrial-grade ethanol. ctvnews.ca, June 6: The industrial-grade ethanol found in the products is not authorized for use in hand sanitizers and may contain impurities, Health Canada said. Read more

Survey Identifies Barriers to Care in Treating Special Needs Dental Patients. dentistrytoday.com, June 9: The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) recently conducted a survey to evaluate the attitudes and willingness of general and specialty dentists to treat people with special needs and to identify the barriers to greater participation by dentists in such care. Read more

Millennials spend three times national average on dental treatment. dentistry.co.uk, June 9: Millennials exceed all other generations when it comes to splashing out on their smiles, a new study has revealed. Read more

Turns Out It Was a Good Time to Quit Smoking After All. bloomberg.com, June 10: Lockdowns hurt cigarette sales in emerging markets as the tobacco industry tries to figure out what comes next. Read more

Opinion: Telehealth may finally shift health care to be patient-centered. thehill.com, June 9 [OPINION]: The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new era of telehealth for primary care, and patient-centered care is now easier than ever. Read more

Court fight could lead to limits on fluoridated drinking water. capitolweekly.net, June 8: A federal court trial under way in San Francisco could spell the beginning of the end of water fluoridation in America, potentially affecting drinking water for hundreds of millions of people across the U.S. Read more

Penn Dental Medicine Study Finds Microbes' Spatial Organization Crucial to How they Cause Tooth Decay. prnewswire.com, June 9: ...Taking a translational approach, researchers…imaged the bacteria that cause tooth decay in humans in three dimensions. Read more

Dental professionals respond to industry’s 40% gender pay gap. dentistry.co.uk, June 8: In a new study, researchers analysed 57 female-dominated roles for which men receive a higher income. It revealed dental practitioners have the biggest gender pay gap with a 39.3% difference in salaries between women and men. 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

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