News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2020/07/22

U of M continues with tuition increase during pandemic. themanitoban.com, July 21: In the midst of a global COVID-19 pandemic, the U of M has announced that tuition for undergraduate and graduate classes will be increased by an average of 3.75 per cent beginning this fall. Read more

Les dentistes, indicateurs de la reprise économique? lesoleil.com, 18 juillet : Comment prendre le pouls d’une économie en pleine relance ? La situation dans les cabinets de dentistes pourrait être un bon indicateur, selon des économistes. Lire plus

What's with the new 'COVID fee?' Consumers are split on whether to pay more for drinks, dinner, or a haircut. nbcnews.com, July 21: When it comes to serving the general public, the pandemic has created a slew of additional costs for businesses. But who should foot the bill? Read more

Missouri Dentists, Advocates Look to Teledentistry as a Possible COVID-19 Solution. news.wjct.org, July 20: ...some practitioners and oral health advocates are encouraged at a possible positive outcome of the ongoing pandemic – the increased interest in and implementation of teledentistry. Read more

Nobel laureates call for 'challenge trials' to speed up vaccine process. ctvnews.ca, July 21: More than 100 top scientists including 15 Nobel laureates have written an open letter calling for volunteers to be exposed to the coronavirus to assist with vaccine development. Read more

First COVID vaccine may be approved in 2020, EU regulator says. bnnbloomberg.ca, July 21: European regulators could approve the first vaccine against COVID-19 this year, after a flurry of trials by drugmakers leading the race showed promising results … Trial data, manufacturing and clinical decisions will be assessed by the regulator in real time to speed up the approval process. Read more

Minnesota Dental Therapists Face Employment Challenges Amid Pandemic. pewtrusts.org, July 21: Practices forced to scale back services at the height of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more

Coronavirus: Dentists voice concern as routine care resumes. bbc.com, July 20: Routine dental care is allowed to resume in Northern Ireland from Monday. There will be some restrictions - including up to one hour between some patients being seen, so surgeries can be cleaned. But some dentists have said a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) means that not all practices in Northern Ireland can fully reopen. … The cost of providing level 2 PPE could, they say, tip many of the businesses just over the edge with how expensive it is to provide. Read more

Paying for your dentist’s PPE? Insurance may not help. ktsm.com, July 17: …That’s what one local patient learned after he asked about three $20 charges with no clear description that appeared on his bill. … The economic slide has not spared dental offices, which have to fight it out in the open market for masks, gowns, face shields and gloves. The Texas Board of Dental Examiners requires the PPE, which is often costly. Read more

It’s Time for Dentists and the Medical Community to Unite to Save Lives. dentistrytoday.com, July 18. The COVID-19 crisis is the latest sign—in flashing neon lights, this time—that bridging the divide between dental and medical communities is long overdue. Read more

Feds establish new reserve to beef up PPE access for essential services. ctvnews.ca, July 21: The federal government is establishing a new personal protective equipment (PPE) reserve, where essential services can buy things like disinfectant wipes and non-medical face coverings. … While some PPE support is already being provided for front-line health-care workers, this latest supply is focused on providing PPE to essential service providers who work beyond the health-care system. Read more

House passes bill to extend and reform wage subsidy, introduce disability benefits. cbc.ca, July 21: The revised program transforms the wage subsidy into an economic stimulus program: Business Council of Canada. Read more

Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the World on Wednesday. cbc.ca, July 22: U.S. official says 'not out of the woods' in battle for PPE supply. Trump gives most direct advice yet on benefit of masks. Pan American Health Organization says more areas of concern than bright spots in the Americas. Read more

A negative COVID test is not a free pass for socializing, experts warn. toronto.ctvnew.ca, July 21: While COVID-19 testing is easily accessible in Ontario, experts are warning about their shortcomings. They say tests can't detect the virus during its incubation period, and still yield a considerable rate of false negatives. Read more

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine developer cautious on 2020 rollout. cbc.ca, July 21: Possible vaccine still needs to be proven to work in late-stage trials. Read more

Ontario allows more regions to advance to Stage 3 this Friday. ctvnews.ca, July 20: A number of Ontario regions will advance to Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plan this Friday but Toronto, Peel and Windsor are still excluded. Read more

Feds order supplies to give two doses of COVID-19 vaccine when it's ready. ctvnews.ca, July 18: The federal government is ordering more than 75 million syringes, alcohol swabs and bandages so it can inoculate Canadians as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is ready. Read more

As COVID-19 curve flattens, Indigenous leaders call on federal government for more support. cbc.ca, July 17: …Indigenous leaders from across Canada have called for more action to protect their communities against further threats from COVID-19 and are attempting to bring attention to chronic health inequities through a petition on change.org that has garnered more than 52,000 signatures as of Friday. Read more

CANADA: 8 in 10 teachers worried about plans to reopen schools in the fall, report says. bradfordtoday.ca, July 17: Nearly 75 per cent say they are concerned about the mental health and well-being of their students in relation to the pandemic. Read more

Temporary fixes to chronic drug shortages leave Canada vulnerable. cmajnews.ca, July 16: Canada may face dire shortages of critical care medicines if a second wave of COVID-19 cases spikes earlier than anticipated. Read more

Pandemic creating potential for drug shortages that Canada isn't equipped to deal with. cbc.ca, July 22 [OPINION]: Canada needs to become self-reliant in developing and supplying its own critical drugs, vaccines. Read more

Quebec on the cusp of mass antibody testing for COVID-19. montrealgazette.com, July 20: ...Five months into the pandemic in Quebec, the province is about to get its first indication of the infection rate — but the scientific community is cautioning against equating it with lasting immunity. Read more

Coming to a receipt near you: The COVID-19 surcharge. tvo.org, July 20: A survey by the CFIB found that, for small businesses in Ontario, the average additional debt that can be attributed solely to COVID-19 is $152,000; the national average is $135,000. Read more

Toronto Mayor John Tory asks Premier Doug Ford to make masks mandatory in restaurants and bars for Stage 3 reopening. thestar.com, July 19: The city of Toronto is asking the province to implement additional safety measures for the Stage 3 reopening of bars and restaurants in the city, including mandatory masks for all patrons and staff. Read more

‘If there’s one year to get your flu shot …’ Bracing for more demand, Ontario seeks safe ways to vaccinate during COVID-19. thestar.com, July 19: … health officials are also planning for how they can safely administer hundreds of thousands of doses of a vaccine that’s already available, to prevent a perfect storm of infection in the fall. Read more

Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. who.int, July 21: Situation report - 183: Read more

Axios-Ipsos poll: The skeptics are growing. axios.com, July 21: A rising number of Americans — now nearly one in three — don't believe the virus' death toll is as high as the official count, despite surging new infections and hospitalizations, per this week's installment of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Read more

U.S. inks coronavirus trial vaccine deal with Pfizer for first 100M doses. globalnews.ca, July 22: ...Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar made the announcement on Wednesday and added that the U.S. could also could buy another 500 million doses under the agreement. Read more

1,000 died of Covid-19 in 1 day. Now the US is on track to hit 1 million new cases in 2 weeks. cnn.com, July 22: At least 1,000 American deaths linked to the coronavirus were reported Tuesday, and the spread shows no sign of slowing down. Read more

People are more likely to contract COVID-19 at home, study finds. montrealgazette.com, July 21: South Korean epidemiologists have found that people were more likely to contract the new coronavirus from members of their own households than from contacts outside the home. Read more

Coca-Cola revenue falls 29% as pandemic lockdowns hit soda sales. globeandmail.com, July 21: Coca-Cola Co said on Tuesday demand for its sodas was improving after reporting a 28 per cent slump in sales in one of its “most challenging” quarters of the year due to coronavirus-led closures of restaurants, theaters and sports venues. Read more

U.K. coronavirus vaccine prompts immune response in early test. ctvnews.ca, July 20: Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. Read more

U.S. FDA approves pool testing for coronavirus as cases surge. globalnews.ca, July 18: For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has greenlit pool testing to detect the novel coronavirus, potentially allowing more Americans to be tested using fewer resources. Read more

British pharma firm claims small trial on a coronavirus treatment could signal ‘major breakthrough’. cnbc.com, July 20: The company said its nebulizer treatment produced a 79% lower risk of patients developing severe disease than those given a placebo in initial trials. Read more

Brazil’s isolated Indigenous groups report first coronavirus deaths. globalnews.ca, July 17: …Experts fear the new coronavirus could spread rapidly among peoples with lesser resistance even to already common diseases and limited access to health care, potentially wiping out some smaller groups. Read more

Liberals non-committal as B.C. premier joins calls for drug decriminalization amid overdose spike. nationalpost.com, July 21: B.C. Premier John Horgan has joined a growing chorus of voices calling for the federal government to decriminalize drugs, as overdose deaths reach grim new heights in his province during the pandemic. Read more

College walking event will help provide dental services for financially challenged patients. sudbury.com, July 20: Cambrian College's annual Walk For a Smile event has resulted in a $18,746 donation for oral health care to be provided by the Sudbury District Nurse Practitioner Clinics (SDNPC). The donation is to allow  access to oral health for those in the community who are financially challenged. Read more

Forget the cotton candy or melon lush, kids. B.C. brings in strict new vaping rules. thestar.com, July 20: Restrictions on flavoured pods and some of the most stringent limits on nicotine levels in Canada are among new B.C. regulations aimed at stopping young people from vaping. Read more

Virtual care will revolutionize Canadian health care. dailyheraldtribune.com, July 17 [OPINION}: Telehealth, wearable diagnostics, AI-enabled decisions and cloud storage could revolutionize Canadian health care by 2030. Read more

Research team at College of Dentistry receives SHRF grant. dentistry.usask.ca, July 16: Dr. Walter L. Siqueira, along with Dr. Francisco Otero-Cagide and Christine Downing have been awarded a SHRF grant in the amount of $120,000 to study a novel way of diagnosing periodontal disease activity, which is an area that continues to elude the dental profession. Read more

Dr. Bob Loney: Passing on the Olympic torch. dal.ca, July 16: Dr. Loney’s retirement, after 23 years in the Dalhousie Faculty of Dentistry, officially took effect at the end of June 2020. The famous laugh will be missed, but the Prosthodontics Olympics torch is still alight and burning brightly. Read more

Announcement: Dr. Ali Tassi is appointed Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Dental Education. schulich.uwo.ca, July: Dr. Ali Tassi’s appointment is effective July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023. Read more

New Oral Oncology Program Begins. dentistry.usask.ca, July: July 14, 2020 marked the start of the new oral oncology program in the USask College of Dentistry. This one-year program will admit two fellows each year. …Throughout the program, the fellows will treat patients who are immunocompromised and/or those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Read more

ADA [Australian Dental Association] adds oral health voice to landmark review of nutrition in aged care. ada.org.au, July 20: In an important recognition of the link between poor nutrition and oral health, the ADA has been invited to join the Working Group for the National Congress on Food, Nutrition and the Dining Experience in Aged Care to be held in November this year. Read more

California’s Slippery Slope of Legislating Health Care. californiaglobe.com, July 21 [OPINION]: This would be first law in the nation to replace a treating dentist or doctor’s health care decisions with that of legislators. Read more

IDS 2021: Organisers reveal COVID-19 safety measures. dental-tribune.com, July 21: Trade fairs are all about face-to-face contact. The organisers of the International Dental Show (IDS) are confident that next year’s event will be able to take place, and they have revealed the basic principles behind a host of measures that they say will make networking and personal interaction at the event as safe and successful as possible. Read more

Access to Dental Care Depends On Where You Live. futurity.org, July 21: More high-income countries offer dental care to children and adults to prevent dental and oral diseases, research finds. Read more

FDA orders removal of fruity Puff Bar vapes. thehill.com, July 20: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent warning letters to the manufacturer of Puff Bar vapes and nine other companies, telling them to remove their flavored disposable e-cigarettes and "youth-appealing e-liquid products" from the market within 15 days. Read more

Gum disease linked to higher risk for gastric, esophageal cancers. healio.com, July 21: A history of gum disease appeared associated with significantly elevated risks for two types of gastrointestinal cancer, according to prospective study results published in Gut. Read more

Poor diets threaten US national security — and it's serious. cnn.com, July 20: America's poor diet isn't just bad for us. It's now considered a threat to national security. Diet-related illnesses are a growing burden on the United States economy, worsening health disparities and impacting national security, according to a white paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Read more

Dentists reveal their top 4 pet peeves, from brushing your teeth after a coffee to consulting Dr. Google. insider.com, July 20: Ask any dentist and they will insist they never judge their patients' teeth. But they do have some pet peeves. Read more

Dentists warn older Australians at risk unless oral care improved. bitemagazine.com.au, July 20: Millions of older Australians will continue to risk developing chronic and life-threatening diseases and suffer unnecessarily unless current oral care health services are transformed, the Australian Dental Association NSW warned. Read more

Poorest Americans drink a lot more sugary drinks than the richest – which is why soda taxes could help reduce gaping health inequalities. theconversation.com, July 17: Does how wealthy you are affect how much soda you consume? And could reducing sugary beverage consumption narrow the double-digit life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest Americans? Read more

Evidence and Orthodontics: Does Your Child Really Need Braces? undark.org, July 20: Orthodontics is supposed to prevent a host of ills, from cavities to jaw pain. But some experts question the evidence…A small group of dentists and orthodontists across the globe have looked carefully at the evidence underpinning these claims and found it lacking. Read more

Doctors And Dentists Still Flooding U.S. With Opioid Prescriptions. npr.org, July 17: … Studies show doctors aren't the only medical professionals overprescribing. Data released this year by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh showed as many as half of opioids given out by American dentists are unnecessary and inappropriate. 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