Dental hygienists could be deployed to give Albertans COVID-19 vaccine jab. cbc.ca, Jan 12: Dental hygienists and other regulated health practitioners may be the province’s answer to expanding its capacity to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. The College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta says it’s seeking a ministerial exemption for some hygienists to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Read more
Ontario implements another state of emergency and stay-at-home order to combat COVID-19. cp24.com, Jan 12: …Health care services, including dental offices, physiotherapy and chiropractors will remain open. Banks will also remain open. Read more
Dental services are essential — and never more so than during COVID-19. tvo.org, Jan 11: To support the health of Ontarians, the government must recognize that dentistry is not optional, writes Daniel Haas, the dean of dentistry at U of T. Read more
Ontario’s Dentists Calling for Early Access to COVID-19 Vaccine. youroralhealth.ca: Dentists are a critical part of the healthcare system and on the frontlines of the pandemic. Read more
Don’t skip your check-up: Manitoba Dental Association assures appointments are safe amidst pandemic. globalnews.ca, Jan 10 (also appeared on msn.com, power97.com): With the COVID-19 test positivity rate high still in Manitoba, Winnipeggers are on the fence about whether they should be keeping up with their yearly dental appointments. Read more
Manitoba dentists to help administer COVID-19 vaccine. winnipeg.ctvnews.ca, Jan 9 (also appeared on iheartradio.ca/virginradio/Winnipeg): Along with checking your pearly whites, Manitoba dentists are jumping on the COVID-19 frontline. Dentists are answering the call to help with vaccine injections, according to Dr. Marc Mollot, president of the Manitoba Dental Association. Read more
Sask. dental hygienist says they could help administer COVID vaccine. cbc.ca, Jan 8: It may still be months before the general population begins getting vaccinated for COVID-19. But when we do, will we have enough trained professionals to administer the vaccine? … Other provinces have announced they are expanding the pool of people who could administer the vaccine to include health professionals such as dentists, veterinarians and lab techs. Read more
Governor Newsom authorizes dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccine. cbs8.com, Jan 12: As of right now, you can’t get the vaccine at a dental office. Instead, dentists are being asked to help at vaccination clinics. Read more
You thought the dentist’s couldn’t get any worse? Patients could soon be asked to wear HELMETS that suck up any COVID-infected cough droplets. dailymail.co.uk, Jan 12: Developed by experts at New York’s Cornell University, the disposable, transparent helmets are connected to a pump that creates a reverse flow of air around the head. ... The full findings of the study were published in the journal Physics of Fluids. Read more
U.S. News & World Report: Dentists continue to have one of top 10 best jobs. ada.org, Jan 12: Dentists No. 9 in 2021 rankings as health care jobs dominate list. … The global pandemic has reinforced the need and value of health care professionals, said Antonio Barbera, consumer advice editor at U.S. News & World Report. Read more
Research shapes safe dentistry during COVID-19. sciencedaily.com, Jan 11: Leading research at Newcastle University has been used to shape how dentistry can be carried out safely during the Covid-19 pandemic by mitigating the risks of dental aerosols. Read more
'Dentists Should Be Performing Covid-19 Saliva Tests On Patients To Help Combat The Virus' Says Nationally-Renowned Dentist. prnewswire.com, Jan 12: Next time you go to get your teeth cleaned, imagine spitting into a vial and getting rapid Covid-19 results from your dentist. That scenario is now being advocated by Dr. Joel Strom, a former California State Dental Board President and Adjunct Fellow at the Cambridge, Massachussets-based Forsyth Institute which is one of the leading research centers for oral biology and salivary diagnostics in the world. Read more
Dentists warn about continuing to delay dental visits during pandemic. wmur.com, Jan 11: More cases of teeth grinding seen in patients, dentists say. Read more
Delta Dental Foundation opens $400K COVID-19 dental equipment fund. wzzm13.com, Jan 11: Delta Dental Foundation opens $400K COVID-19 dental equipment fund. The fund will help safety-net dental organizations in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana purchase COVID-19 related dental supplies and equipment—making it easier for more people to safely access dental care. Read more
Report: Wearing masks for extended periods of time can lead to serious oral health issues. whdh.com, Jan 12: “Mask mouth” has become a trend since the beginning of the pandemic, with people developing bad breath, dry mouth, tooth decay, bleeding gums, mouth ulcers, and other oral health issues, a new report from Express Dentist indicates. Read more
‘I thought dentists had some of the best job security’: More dental students are having second thoughts. marketwatch.com, Jan 8: Before the pandemic, dentistry was considered a growing industry. … But the pandemic has shown that the industry is no more stable than many other industries that have been hard hit by the pandemic, dimming career prospects. In turn, many dental and dental hygiene students are reconsidering their career paths, according to a peer-reviewed study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. Read more
‘Light at the end of the tunnel’. ada.org, Jan 8: Oregon dental resident becomes first dentist to administer COVID-19 vaccine, highlights another role in pandemic. Read more
Dentists, students called in to help deliver coronavirus vaccines. cnn.com, Jan 8: As the US looks for ways to speed the administration of Covid-19 vaccines, some states and providers are pulling in non-traditional vaccinators, including dentists, retirees and students, to aid in the process. Read more
More frontline health care workers in Los Angeles County will be able to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday. ktla.com, Jan 10: … That means that in addition to frontline health care workers, people working in primary care clinics, specialty clinics, laboratories, dental clinics and pharmacies can get the vaccine. Read more
Dental delays leading to ‘complications unseen since the 70s’. brusselstimes.com, Jan 9: Dentists are warning that putting off a dental appointment out of fear of catching Covid-19 is likely to lead to troubles later, as problems go undetected. Read more
Kids' oral health decays after COVID restricts visits to the dentist. smh.com.au, Jan 9: Victorians could face long-term dental disease problems for years to come after a dramatic drop in regular visits to the dentist in 2020. Children and low-income earners are likely to suffer the most serious deterioration in dental health. Read more
Coronavirus: What’s happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday. cbc.ca, Jan 13: Alberta sees new record for reported deaths from COVID-19 in a single day. Can Alberta make its own deals with vaccine makers? Ottawa says go for it. Ontario issues stay-at-home order as COVID-19 models show province is at ‘dangerous point’. Canada-U.S. border to remain closed until at least Feb. 21. U.S. will require negative COVID-19 tests for nearly all arriving international air passengers. Read more
Vaccine dilemma: report says delaying second dose up to 42 days is OK, but some warn of risks. ctvnews.ca, Jan 12: …a new report from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization says provinces can accelerate the number of people being vaccinated by delaying the second dose for up to 42 days. This would lengthen the specific waiting period between doses that has been proven to work in clinical trials for both vaccines. The updated recommendations, released Tuesday by NACI, raise questions for Canadians anxiously awaiting the protection of a vaccine, as well as officials trying to speed up the rollout. Read more
Record COVID-19 deaths; Alberta extends vaccine timeline for second dose to 42 days. edmontonjournal.com, Jan 13: Thirty-eight more Albertans have died from the disease. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the ominous landmark demonstrates the need to dispense as many first doses of the vaccine as possible, even as the province has warned of the potential for supply shortages in the future. Read more
Quebec’s COVID-19 vaccine plan runs contrary to new federal guidelines. montrealgazette.com, Jan 13: The federal immunization committee recommends administering a second shot within 42 days of the first. Quebec plans to wait twice as long. Read more
Saskatchewan now has highest active case rate of COVID-19 in country: Health Canada. cbc.ca, Jan 13: According to data from Health Canada, Saskatchewan had an active case rate of 319 per 100,000 population on Tuesday, an increase of one from the day before. ... The national average rate currently sits at 215. Read more
Track how many COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across Canada. cbc.ca, Jan 12: See how the vaccine rollout is going in your province or territory. CBC News is tracking the data, so you can follow the progress as vaccines are rolled out across the country. CBC’s vaccine data comes from provincial and territorial websites, news briefings and releases, and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Read more
COVID-19 in Indigenous communities: total cases in First Nations surpass 11,000. cbc.ca, Jan 13: The number of active COVID-19 cases in First Nations communities continues to rise, according to the latest data from Indigenous Services Canada. Read more
Software company offers Indigenous communities free services for vaccine rollout. globalnews.ca, Jan 12: Coconut software will equip communities with the technology to schedule and organize in-person vaccine appointments more efficiently. Read more
Canadians worried about the mental health of their co-workers, report finds. ctvnews.ca, Jan 13: According to Morneau Shepell’s monthly Mental Health Index, 36 per cent of Canadians indicated that they were concerned about a fellow employee’s mental well-being. The report, released Wednesday, suggests that the Canadian workforce may be at risk of "detrimental long-term mental health effects" amidst the pandemic. Read more
Pandemic worsening mental health for women more than men, poll suggests. thestar.com, Jan 13: New polling from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies suggests some Canadians feel their mental health has declined as the pandemic has rolled on, with the impacts potentially striking women, single parents, the unemployed, relatively recent immigrants and racialized people more than others. Read more
Ontario long-term care homes need ‘immediate emergency intervention,’ advocates say. cbc.ca, Jan 12: Coalition demands province launch recruitment strategy right now to prevent more COVID-19 deaths. Read more
Canada locks in 20 million more Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses. ctvnews.ca, Jan 12: Canada has exercised an option with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer-BioNTech to secure an additional 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced. ... This news comes on the heels of Procurement Minister Anita Anand confirming she chose not to exercise an option to buy up to 16 million additional doses of the Moderna vaccine because they would not have arrived until late in 2021. Read more
Canada building facilities to make vaccines for COVID-19 and other viruses. cbc.ca, Jan 12: Vaccine independence is important, because relying on relationships with other countries doesn’t always work. Read more
Itching for injection: Number of Canadians who say they want to be vaccinated ASAP against COVID‑19 surges. angusreid.com, Jan 11: Canadians appear to be transitioning from a place of professed caution to enthusiastic compliance when it comes to their willingness to be vaccinated against COVID‑19. In a one-month span, the number of people saying they plan to be inoculated as soon as possible has increased 12 percentage points, with a firm majority (60%) now willing, and waiting. Guest: Krishana Sankar, Doctoral Researcher at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Medicine. Read more
Pfizer could withdraw vaccine supply from Quebec if two-dose schedule not followed: Legault. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: Quebec's supply of COVID-19 vaccines could take a hit if the province continues to follow a schedule that isn't recommended by its maker, provincial leaders suggested Monday. … That schedule calls for a second dose of the vaccine to be given three weeks after the first dose. The Quebec government's plan calls for a modified schedule, with people receiving their second dose months after the first. Read more
As Canada battles rising COVID-19 cases, advocates say lack of sick leave fuels transmission. ctvnews.ca, Jan 12: As Canadian provinces struggle to contain rising COVID-19 infections, a lack of adequate paid sick leave for front-line workers is fueling transmission, doctors and advocates say. While political leaders and health officials advise sick people to stay home, many people can't afford to. Some 58% of workers in Canada lack enough paid sick leave, according to the Decent Work and Health Network, and that percentage rises as wages drop. Read more
More than half Manitoba's active COVID-19 cases are in First Nations population. cbc.ca, Jan 11: Vaccine distribution has begun on a handful of Manitoba reserves as a task force reports that 61 per cent of the people with active COVID-19 in the province are First Nations. Read more
Vaccine hesitancy in care home workers. omny.fm/shows/the-simi-sara-show, Jan 11: Just getting the vaccines we need has been a complex undertaking, but now public health is faced with addressing vaccine hesitancy. SafeCareBC released a survey of long term care workers last month which found only 57 percent of respondents wanted to get the shot, that could be a big problem considering how long term care home residents are particularly vulnerable to the virus. Listen 6:46
Two per cent of Canadians with COVID have logged it in contact-tracing app. ipolitics.ca, Jan 11: ...On Jan. 5, when 618,644 cases had been reported nationally, Health Canada said only 13,697 people had loaded key codes into the app by that day. Read more
Health-care workers battled burnout before COVID-19 — now it's even worse, experts warn. cbc.ca, Jan 12: 78% of nurse respondents reported recent feelings of burnout, pre-pandemic survey found. Read more
Why some hospital PR executives and staff on leave have received COVID-19 vaccines before front-line staff. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: As thousands of front-line workers remain susceptible to COVID-19, a surprising group of people has been vaccinated ahead of them. Despite the insistence from health officials that the scarce vaccines would first be reserved for the highest-risk populations, including health-care workers in COVID-19 wards and in long-term care homes, staff who have little to no interaction with patients have already received the jab. Read more
Ontario's homeless 5 times more likely to die of COVID-19, study finds. cbc.ca, Jan 11: Those without homes also more likely to test positive, suffer complications. A study published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal is painting a stark picture of how COVID-19 has impacted Ontario's homeless population. Read more
'Racism is a comorbidity': Advocates call out anti-Black bias in Canadian medicine. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: It’s long overdue for the Canadian medical field to stop dragging its feet to address disparities for Black patients, anti-racism medical experts wrote for the Canadian Medical Association Journal. … During the COVID-19 pandemic, those effects have been magnified with racialized people having a greater chance of testing positive for COVID-19 and a poorer health outcome. Read more
Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine contender: Medicago’s breakthrough, ties to Big Tobacco and warnings a pandemic was coming. globalnews.ca, Jan 11: Under a winter’s snow cover on the outskirts of Quebec City, a high-tech greenhouse, set at a balmy 23 C, is growing row after row of a weed that could help end the coronavirus pandemic. It’s called Nicotiana benthamiana, a relative of the tobacco plant, native to Australia, and it is a key to biopharmaceutical company Medicago’s COVID-19 vaccine. Read more
Blood kits sent to 48,000 Canadians to survey extent of COVID-19. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: Statistics Canada is mailing pinprick blood tests to 48,000 Canadians to gauge the virus’ prevalence in the country. In what is one of the first large-scale surveys of its kind in Canada, researchers are examining the blood samples for antibodies pertaining to the virus that causes COVID-19. Read more
COVID-19 vaccines arrive in remote First Nations as leaders work to combat hesitancy. cbc.ca, Jan 10: 'Do it for the elders in the community and the vulnerable,' tribal council leader says. … The council employs nurses who are among those administering vaccinations so people see a familiar face they know and trust. Read more
The tale of two pandemics: Provincial COVID-19 case numbers suggest growing disparity. torontosun.com, Jan 11: It was a day of disparity in Canada’s protracted battle against the novel coronavirus, with some provinces recording alarmingly high numbers of infections on Sunday while at least one province managed to whittle new cases to zero. Read more
New coronavirus mutation raises vaccine questions. ctvnews.ca, Jan 13: As the British coronavirus variant occupies countries’ pandemic plans due to its increased transmissibility, other mutations to the Sars-CoV-2 are provoking concern among scientists who are scrambling to work out if they will still respond to vaccines. In particular, one mutation, known as E484K, detected initially in South Africa and on subsequent variants in Brazil and Japan, has raised alarm among researchers. Read more
US COVID-19 deaths hit another one-day high at over 4,300. abcnews.go.com, Jan 13: Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have hit another one-day high at over 4,300 with the country’s attention focused largely on the fallout from the deadly uprising at the Capitol. Read more
It’s essential to understand why some health care workers are putting off vaccination. vox.com, Jan 11: Early data on why health care workers are delaying the Covid-19 vaccine could help us end the pandemic sooner. Read more
Despite having intimate knowledge of the pain and death caused by the coronavirus, a surprising number of US healthcare workers are refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine. businessinsider.com, Jan 10: In American nursing homes and hospitals, a surprising number of healthcare workers are refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. As many as 80% of staff are turning down a vaccine in some institutions, according to AP. This is due to unfounded fears about the side-effects of these life-saving shots, AP reported. Read more
Many have a real fear of needles, overcoming that is critical for the vaccine rollout. ctvnews.ca, Jan 13: As a fourth-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Amanda Walker knows that vaccinations are both safe and essential. Getting one, however, is still an ordeal for Walker, who has needle phobia. It’s a common fear. Read more
Chinese COVID-19 vaccine far less effective than initially claimed in Brazil, sparking concerns. ctvnews.ca, Jan 13: A leading Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech was just 50.38% effective in late-stage trials in Brazil, significantly lower than earlier results showed, according to a statement published by the government of Sao Paulo Tuesday. Read more
China sees biggest daily Covid tally since July as WHO prepares to fly in. theguardian.com, Jan 13: China has recorded the highest one-day case total in more than five months, according to the National Health Commission, with three cities in lockdown in a bid to prevent another wave of infections in the world’s second-biggest economy. Read more
Tokyo Olympic president says it is ‘absolutely impossible’ to postpone Games again. cbc.ca, Jan 12: Two polls in the last few days have shown just over 80 per cent of Japanese people surveyed think the Olympics should be cancelled or postponed, or believe they will not take place as COVID-19 cases surge in Japan. Read more
UN: COVID-19 herd immunity unlikely in 2021 despite vaccines. abcnews.go.com, Jan 11: The World Health Organization’s chief scientist has warned that even as numerous countries start rolling out vaccination programs to stop COVID-19, herd immunity is highly unlikely this year. Read more
Could COVID-19 accelerate the adoption of a national digital ID in the US? biometricupdate.com, Jan 11: ...An estimated 1.1 billion consumers globally don’t have basic identification, such as passports or birth certificates. Without proper identification, people are excluded from employment, health insurance, banking, loans, mortgages, credit cards, and even stimulus checks or pandemic- related financial benefits. Giving these consumers a verifiable identity, accessible via the Internet, is an integral way to establish identity in the 21st century. Many believe a national digital ID accomplishes this. Read more
BioNTech lifts 2021 COVID-19 vaccine output target to 2 billion doses. reuters.com, Jan 11: Pfizer’s partner BioNTech boosted the 2021 delivery target for their COVID-19 vaccine to 2 billion doses, up from 1.3 billion previously, as they bring new production lines on stream and as more doses can be extracted per vial. Read more
As world begins vaccination push, delayed rollouts draw criticism. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: Political leaders are promising that mass vaccination campaigns will see life return to normal, as a more contagious variant of the coronavirus spreads across dozens of countries, adding urgency to the race to end the pandemic. But vaccination efforts are rolling out slower than promised, raising doubts about an imminent way out of the crisis. Read more
Over half a million under lockdown as Beijing outbreak spreads. ctvnews.ca, Jan 11: China has largely brought the virus under control, but is tackling a number of local infections with lockdowns and mass testing. Authorities are keen to stem any outbreak in the capital -- home to over 20 million people -- particularly ahead of a week-long national holiday next month. Read more
Embarking on a sustainable 2021. runnermag.ca, Jan 11: ...According to the Canadian Dental Association, individuals need to change their toothbrushes every three to four months. To me, that sounds like a ton of toothbrushes that somehow will find themselves in the ocean and eventually be spit out into the shore in some unknown part of the world. My first attempt at living an eco-friendly life was by purchasing a bamboo toothbrush, which is biodegradable. Read more
What Is a Holistic Dentistry: A New Health Trend on the Rise in Vancouver. natureworldnews.com, Jan 11: Vancouver has seen a rise in holistic health trends across the board over the last few decades, and now holistic dentistry is taking off. Let's examine what exactly it is. Read more
Internal N.S. report describes rise in overdose deaths and community contaminants. globalnews.ca, Jan 12: Drug policy advocates have long argued that releasing information to communities about what specific harms are showing up in their illicit drug supply would help save lives. Or at the very least, it would keep people as safe as possible when it comes to using drugs by equipping them with timely information, they argue. Read more
‘It’s very alarming’: Ontario seeing unprecedented spike in stimulant-drug deaths. tvo.org, Jan 12: Opioid-related death rates have soared to record levels across Canada in 2020, but stimulant-related deaths are also on the rise — and experts are calling for action. Read more
The Conference Board of Canada Forecasts Economic Growth In 2021 And 2022. conferenceboard.ca, Jan 12: The Conference Board of Canada has released its two-year economic outlook and forecasts that real gross domestic product (GDP) will grow 5.3 per cent in 2021 and 3.5 per cent in 2022 respectively. The growth forecasts for the next two years follow an estimated economic contraction of 5.3 per cent in 2020, one of the deepest recessions in modern times. Going forward, the strength of Canada’s economic recovery will largely depend on the successful distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. Read more
Cabinet shuffle and Ontario's possible new COVID measures nationalpost.com, Jan 12: The shuffle is due to the departure of Navdeep Bains, who is not intending to run again in the next election, which could come as early as this spring. Premier Doug Ford said residents can expect an announcement on new measures today when the province will also make new COVID-19 projections public. Read more
'It's more than just smoking something:' Community advocates call for Edmonton city council to reconsider shisha lounge ban. edmontonjournal.com, Jan 11: ...Before the ban, shisha served in the city’s 45 lounges was considered tobacco-free, but council voted in July 2019 to treat the water pipe smoking like tobacco and eliminate it from indoor public spaces a year later. Read more
Nova Scotia – Disability advocates call for easier access to 'life-changing' technology. cbc.ca Jan 10: Assistive devices can improve quality of life, but their high cost keeps them out of reach for many. Read more
Dentists share concern over recent TikTok trend. cbs4indy.com, Jan 12: Influencers on the social media site have been sharing before and after posts of major dental procedures such as veneers, crowns or what’s known as a “total mouth rehab.” Procedures that leave them with perfect looking teeth and “Hollywood” smiles. There’s been so much interest in these videos, particularly by young people wanting to pursue such procedures, that some dentists have been making their own versions emphasizing how serious these procedures are, while outlining the risks and rewards. Read more
Youth vaping threatens to wipe out gains in cigarette use, health experts warn. phillyvoice.com, Jan 11: E-cigarettes are a gateway to traditional smoking, new research shows. Originally marketed as a way to help adult smokers quit, e-cigarettes appear to be just as addictive, especially for younger users. Children who vape are three times more likely to smoke regular cigarettes as adults, a new study has found. Read more
TikTok users are making DIY dentures out of InstaMorph beads that could cause major gum damage. insider.com, Jan 11: A TikToker went viral for showing how she makes teeth out of InstaMorph beads — an inexpensive product that can be molded after heating — as an alternative to a more expensive "flipper". Read more
Steris to buy Cantel Medical for $3.6 bln to expand dental care. financialpost.com, Jan 12: Medical equipment maker Steris Plc is buying rival Cantel Medical Corp for about $3.6 billion to expand into dental care and add endoscopy equipment to its products. New Jersey-based Cantel produces infection prevention equipment including filtration, sterilization products and disposable products used in endoscopy procedures for hospitals and dental clinics. Read more
Continuing Education Matters
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
2021
March 4-6: Pacific Dental Conference – 2021 Virtual Experience. Read more and register
March 13-16: “WE” 2021 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition (Virtual). Read more
May 6-8: 2021 Ontario Dental Association Annual Spring Meeting (ASM21). 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
We invite you to send us leads to news stories worth sharing oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca.