News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2021/03/10

Newfoundland and Labrador dentists back to urgent care only. saltwire.com, March 9 (also in The Chronicle Herald, The Telegram, The Journal Pioneer, The Guardian, Toronto Star): They’re suited up and ready to drill, but you may have to wait a couple of weeks. The thought of sitting in a dentist’s chair — mouth wide open, drill twirling, saliva swirling — may seem like the perfect storm for COVID-19 spread. But Dr. Michelle Zwicker assures that dental clinics like hers in Bay Roberts have had a year’s practice keeping the coronavirus at bay, and the proof is in the numbers. Read more

Excitement builds as more Ottawa health-care workers prepare to get COVID-19 vaccine. ottawa.ctvnews.ca, March 9: ...Tens of thousands of patient-facing health-care workers are eligible to pre-register for a vaccine including doctors, physiotherapists and those working at dental offices. Read

USask study using dentistry to learn saliva spread of COVID-19. globalnews.ca, March 9: University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry associate dean Dr. Walter Siqueira joins Global News Morning to share a USask study on COVID-19 saliva spread in a field that involves a lot of close contact. Watch 4:04

Ottawa Dentists to Receive Vaccines. ottawa.ctvnews.ca, March 9: Dentist from Heritage Dental Dr. David Stevenson joins us with details on the push to vaccinate healthcare workers including dentists. Watch 04:40

More health care workers can book for vaccines. ottawa.ctvnews.ca, March 8: A list of front line health providers like dentists and pharmacists are among those who can book for ‘high priority’ vaccines. Watch 2:52

'Nobody likes having a toothache': Still no dental in some N.W.T. communities. cbc.ca, March 9: It's been one year since residents in Ulukhaktok, Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk, N.W.T., saw a dentist visit their communities, and Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacobson is urging the health authority to fast track the resumption of services. Read more

Maple Ridge dentist battles through pandemic in first year of business. mapleridgenews.com, March 8: Starting a business from the ground up is never easy, but being hit by a global pandemic mere months after getting going would test the most savvy company owner. For Dr. Sabrina Bhatti, who opened Kanaka Creek Dental in November 2019, having to deal with the COVID crisis was quite a challenge, but one she is grateful for. Read more

MLAs want dental services to resume in northern communities. cabinradio.ca, March 5: Some NWT residents have gone nearly a year without easy access to dental services since visits were suspended when the pandemic started. Read more

Dentists, teachers, bus drivers want Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in B.C. globalnews.ca, March 5: …The BC Dental Association said in a statement it would be “extremely pleased” if its members were included in the group to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot. Dentists and their teams cannot treat patients remotely, work in very close proximity to the mouth and often use aerosol-generating procedures, it said. Read more

Dental Hygienists Trained To Give Vaccines Being Turned Away As Volunteers. ksltv.com, March 10: A big part of getting COVID-19 cases to drop in the state is getting Utahns vaccinated. It’s been a big undertaking and, just recently, state officials made a plea to get trained professionals to volunteer in the effort. The state’s coronavirus website lists those who are authorized after training to administer vaccines. Read more

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Dental Care Sector – Insights from Data for the Week of February 15, 2021. youtube.com / American Dental Association, March 8: The latest COVID-19 Economic Impact poll data from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (HPI), collected the week of February 15, show that more patients are ready to get back to the dental office — and more are showing up with signs of stress. Watch 25:09

From Cavities to Stress-Grinding, the Pandemic Has Been Hell on Our Teeth. phillymag.com, March 6: Offices closed down. Massive PPE shortages. Dentists have been up against a lot during this past year. So are you ready to get back in the chair? Read more

Now approved to administer COVID-19 vaccine, NC dentists eager to help fight pandemic. cbs17.com, March 8: When they’re not working on your teeth,  dentists in North Carolina can now help fight the coronavirus. The North Carolina Dental Board recently announced dentists are now approved to administer COVID-19 vaccines in the state. Read more

Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday. cbc.ca, March 10: Johnson & Johnson warns Canada of vaccine production delays. Quebec, Alberta expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. Some COVID-19 restrictions relaxed in Saskatchewan and Arviat, Nunavut. Read more

Health Canada says Pfizer vaccine can be transported after thawing, but only for 12 hours. ctvnews.ca, March 9: ...In a letter to health-care professionals that was posted on Monday, Health Canada stated that they have received new data from Pfizer that supports new options for transportation and storage. Among the new guidance is the news that undiluted vials can be transported in a thawed state at 2 to 8 C for up to 12 hours. Read more

Language, cultural barriers could fuel vaccine hesitancy, Quebec community organizers warn. cbc.ca, March 10: As Quebec looks to accelerate its vaccination campaign, there are calls for the government to better communicate with people in smaller language or cultural groups. Read more

Survey finds Canadian doctors fatigued by slow vaccine rollout. ctvnews.ca, March 10: Some of Canada's doctors are feeling high levels of fatigue and anxiety one year into the COVID-19 pandemic according to a new survey by the Canadian Medical Association, and concern over the country's vaccine rollout was indicated as one of the main reasons. Read more

‘There is a lot of mistrust’: Researchers look at vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous Canadians. globalnews.ca, March 9: As Canada expands its vaccination program, a number of Indigenous people are still reluctant to get the COVID-19 shot — and for good reason. A new paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal explores the root cause of vaccine hesitancy. Read more

Experts warn of growing number of COVID-19 scams preying on pandemic fears and vaccine shortages. nationalpost.com, March 9: Scammers and fraudsters are targeting Canadians with false claims that they can sell COVID-19 vaccine, or can help people jump the COVID vaccine line. Read more

Some Kingston-area pharmacies to offer COVID-19 vaccines as early as Saturday. thewhig.com, March 9: The Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health region is one of three provincial health units taking part in an initiative to bring pharmacies on board for vaccine distribution and to test Ontario’s COVaxON system, the tool it is using to record vaccinations across the province. Read more

Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Tuesday. cbc.ca, March 9: World economy bouncing back from COVID-19 faster than expected, OECD says. A year after Canada's 1st COVID-19 fatality, health officials reflect on pandemic death toll. Canadians shouldn't shop around for vaccines with higher efficacy rates, experts say. New outbreak of COVID-19 in B.C. care home where residents and staff were already vaccinated. Alberta eases more COVID-19 restrictions, completes Step 2 of reopening plan. INTERACTIVE | Where is the coronavirus pandemic getting better or worse? Read more

PM designates March 11 national day of observance for Canadians who died of COVID-19. ctvnews.ca, March 8: The federal government is designating March 11—the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic—a national day of observance to commemorate those who have died due to the virus. Read more

Majority of Canadians don’t think feds will meet COVID-19 vaccine target: Ipsos. globalnews.ca, March 9: The poll, conducted exclusively for Global News found that out of 1,000 Canadians surveyed, 48 per cent said they were confident about the Liberals’ vaccine promises while 52 per cent disagreed. Respondents who fell under the Gen X demographic (between 41 and 56 years old) were the least likely to feel confident about Liberals’ vaccine targets at 60 per cent. Read more

Canadians & the COVID-19 Shot: Patient and Mostly Confident. abacusdata.ca, March 9: Roughly two out of three Canadians expect to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine shot before the end of September timetable discussed by the Prime Minister, and about 60% of them consider that timing to be acceptable or better. One in five people don’t expect to have access to a shot until 2022, and 58% of that group considers that timing acceptable. Read more

Pfizer not consulted by NACI on spacing out doses; warns against 4-month gap. ipolitics.ca, March 8: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) didn’t consult with Pfizer before publishing guidance last week to extend the length of time between when COVID-19 vaccine doses are delivered, the president of the company’s Canadian division said on Monday. Read more

Quebec bucks advice from national vaccine panel, will give AstraZeneca to people 65 and up. cbc.ca, March 9: The province's vaccine expert committee is recommending that all approved vaccines be used immediately to prevent deaths and hospitalizations, the Health Ministry said in a news release, adding that the AstraZeneca vaccine "provides more flexibility in immunization efforts, especially for priority groups aged 70 to 79.'' Read more

Health care unions call for worker wage bump, better access to PPE in new campaign. bttoronto.ca, March 8: Health-care workers across Ontario still struggle to obtain personal protective equipment to shield them from COVID-19, three major unions said Sunday as they called on the province to do more to ensure their safety as the pandemic rages on. Read more

Ontario staring down possible third wave of COVID-19, but severity remains unclear. cbc.ca, March 9: Ontario appears to be standing on the edge of a third wave of COVID-19, some experts say — but because of virus variants, vaccinations and the promise of warmer weather on the horizon, it's unclear how severe it could be. All of those changing variables mean predicting exactly what will happen in the coming weeks is difficult, said epidemiologist Dr. Tim Sly, a professor emeritus at Ryerson University in Toronto. Read more

Sikh group helps South Asian seniors get vaccines while battling misinformation. citynews1130.com, March 8: As the vaccine rollout gets underway in B.C., a Sikh group is working to help South Asian seniors get the information they need. Sukhmeet Singh Sachal with the Sikh Health Foundation, says there can be obstacles for members of the South Asian community when it comes to getting the vaccine, given much of the health communication has been in English during the pandemic. Read more

Don't panic if you see a lump on your armpit after COVID-19 vaccination, doctors say. ctvnews.ca, March 9: As more Canadians receive COVID-19 vaccines, more and more people might encounter a side-effect that radiologists want the public to be more aware of — swelling under the armpit, which can show up on mammograms during screenings for breast cancer. Read more

Canada set to receive more than 910,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week. ctvnews.ca, March 8: Canada is set to receive 910,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week as pharmaceutical companies ramp up deliveries to make good on their contractual obligations by the end of the month. The Public Health Agency of Canada says the country will receive nearly 445,000 shots from Pfizer-BioNTech for the second week running as the companies settle into a rhythm following a lengthy lull in January and much of February. Read more

Canadians' hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccine dropping, new poll suggests. cbc.ca, March 8: A new survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians are more willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine immediately rather than take a "wait-and-see" approach. Those who responded to the poll also said they were less concerned about contracting COVID-19 than they were in the fall and earlier this winter, hinting at a spark of optimism about the pandemic. Read more

Doctor who helped create the Johnson & Johnson vaccine talks about its efficacy. cbc.ca, March 5: Dr. Dan Barouch, director, Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, says the Johnson & Johnson vaccine he helped to create is highly effective against COVID-19 and new variants of concern. Listen 5:11

Study finds Indigenous people twice more likely to struggle due to COVID crisis. winnipegsun.com, March 7: Research led by University of Manitoba professors found that Indigenous people are twice more likely than others to have difficulty meeting their financial obligations during the COVID-19 crisis. A third of Indigenous Canadians surveyed lost their jobs early in the pandemic which is a higher proportion than people of colour, who were in turn more likely to lose their jobs than white Canadians. Read more

COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 has significantly higher death rate, study finds. ctvnews.ca, March 10: A highly infectious variant of COVID-19 that has spread around the world since it was first discovered in Britain late last year is between 30 and 100 per cent more deadly than previous dominant variants, researchers said on Wednesday. Read more

Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine neutralizes Brazil variant in lab study. ctvnews.ca, March 9: The COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE was able to neutralize a new variant of the coronavirus spreading rapidly in Brazil, according to a laboratory study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Monday. Read more

Israel says 600 children given Covid jab had no serious side-effects. theguardian.com, March 10: Hundreds of children between the ages of 12 and 16 who have been given the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccination in Israel experienced no serious side-effects, a senior official has told the Guardian, one of the first signs that Covid-19 inoculations could be safe for minors ahead of clinical trial results. Read more

CDC under scrutiny after struggling to report Covid race, ethnicity data. politico.com, March 9: The Department of Health and Human Services’ watchdog is examining how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can improve the accuracy of its data on Covid‑19’s toll by race and ethnicity, according to two senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the investigation. Read more

Study: Poorest Americans would get 20% income boost from Biden relief package. axios.com, March 9: US President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package will give the poorest 20% of Americans a 20% boost in income, according to an analysis by the non-partisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Families with children would see their taxes cut by an average of more than $6,000. On a national scale, the relief package would cut taxes by some $467 billion in 2021, and about $590 billion over 10 years. Read more

'Russia is up to its old tricks': Biden battling COVID-19 vaccine disinformation campaign. usatoday.com, March 8: The Biden administration said it is taking steps to combat Russian disinformation aimed at undermining confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer Inc. and other Western companies. Read more

Facebook is finally cracking down hard on anti-vaccine content. It is facing an uphill battle. vox.com, March 9: Facebook critics say the anti-vaccination communities that have flourished on the platform are fueling Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy. Read more

Vaccine-skeptical Trump country poses challenge to immunization push. politico.com, March 8: The expansion in vaccine supply marks a critical time to confront deep skepticism among large numbers of rural whites and Republicans. … If a critical mass of people don’t accept Covid-19 vaccines, the country won’t achieve “herd immunity.” Read more

Why it's so hard to sign up for vaccinations online. axios.com, March 8: The verdict from Americans trying to get the COVID vaccine is in: the sign-up websites are awful. Appointment systems are a vital part of getting Americans vaccinated, but a series of missed opportunities, at every level, left local governments scrambling. And the frustrating, confusing process now carries the risk that some people will simply give up. Read more

Russia to make Sputnik V vaccine in Italy; a first in EU. ctvnews.ca, March 9: ...Sputnik V has not yet been approved for use in the EU, but the body's regulator, the European Medicines Agency, started a rolling review of the vaccine last week. Read more

Fully-vaccinated people can gather without masks in U.S., CDC says. ctvnews.ca, March 8: Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. ... The CDC is continuing to recommend that fully vaccinated people continue to wear well-fitted masks, avoid large gatherings, and physically distance themselves from others when out in public. Read more

U.S. is close to a possible COVID-19 surge, expert warns. ctvnews.ca, March 8: The U.S. is in the "eye of the hurricane" right now, according to epidemiologist Michael Osterholm. After months of devastation, it appeared things were heading in the right direction with officials reporting several weeks of steep declines in COVID-19 cases and lowered hospitalization numbers. But now case declines have stopped and infection numbers plateaued at very high levels -- with the U.S. averaging roughly 60,000 new cases daily in the past week. Read more

Dire dental coverage needs. castanet.net, March 10: A Penticton mom has started a petition hoping to see better dental coverage from the government, after finding out that her seven-year-old daughter’s cleft palate surgeries weren’t covered by medical care either through the provincial or federal governments. Read more and listen 3:23

N.W.T. Métis leaders ask for inclusion in federal health care benefit. cbc.ca, March 10: The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program for First Nations and Inuit covers some medicare costs — like dental, vision and out-of-territory medical travel — for those that can prove their status and who don't already get health-care coverage through their place of work. Currently, Métis are not eligible to receive these benefits. Leaders in the N.W.T. are advocating for Métis inclusion in a national health-care insurance program for First Nations and Inuit people. Read more

Economic Recovery Expected in All Canadian Provinces. conferenceboard.ca, March 10: The Conference Board of Canada has released its latest forecast of provincial economic activity and finds a broad-based recovery taking place aided by the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and a rebound in energy, tourism, and exports. Read more

New alcohol drinking guidelines planned for 2022. vancouversun.com, March 8: The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) is planning updates to their safe drinking guidelines. The plans come as Canadians report drinking more during the pandemic. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) is launching a six-week public consultation on March 8 as part of its initiative to update existing guidelines for the safe consumption of alcohol. Read more

Dental Assistants Recognition Week. globalnews.ca, March 9: Do you know the difference between a dental hygienist and a dental assistant? Registered dental assistant, Nicole Whitehouse, explains the important role dental assistants play in keeping your smile healthy. Watch 06:28

Fluoride proponents urge AHS to put teeth into plebiscite effort. calgaryherald.com, March 9: A decade ago, city council — without a plebiscite — chose to remove fluoride, but since then studies have shown the move has led to dramatically higher levels of tooth decay, particularly among children. A proponent of re-fluoridating Calgary’s drinking water said it appears the province is abdicating its responsibility to help ensure the chemical makes a return to enhance dental health. Read more

De meilleurs soins dentaires pour nos aînés. journaldemontreal, 8 mars : La faculté de médecine dentaire de l’Université de Montréal (UdeM) veut améliorer les soins qu'elle offre aux aînés grâce à un don de 750 000$ qui permettra de créer des bourses en gérodontologie. ... Alors qu’on trouve presque de «tout» dans une résidence pour personnes âgées, il est cependant rare d’y trouver un dentiste. De plus en plus de futurs dentistes font cependant des stages dans ces établissements. Lire plus

Statistics Canada considered delaying 2021 census over pandemic concerns. globalnews.ca, March 8: Newly released documents show Statistics Canada considered delaying this year’s census until 2022 over pandemic-related health concerns that could erode the quality of data relied on by policymakers across the country. Read more

B.C. tax changes affecting sugary drinks, vaping products coming into effect April 1. cbc.ca, March 5: Tax changes targeting sugary drinks and e-commerce services based outside of B.C. will come into effect on April 1 after being delayed by the COVID‑19 pandemic. The B.C. government says the changes include the elimination of the provincial sales tax exemption for carbonated beverages that contain sugar, natural sweeteners or artificial sweeteners.. Read more

Alberta health advocates call on Edmonton city council not to overturn ban on shisha lounges. edmontonjournal.com, March 7: An Alberta health coalition is calling on Edmonton city council to double down on its ban of shisha lounges and end talks of possible reinstatement. Campaign For a Smoke-Free Alberta, a group of health advocacy organizations, wants council to halt the city’s study of options for a separate business licence class that could allow these lounges to operate again with strict restrictions after they were banned last July. Read more

Smoking ban bill a breach of jurisdiction: Manitoba First Nations. winnipeg.ctvnews.ca, March 5: Manitoba First Nation communities are speaking out against the province's moves to ban public smoking on reserves. Public smoking has been banned in Manitoba for years, but those rules don't apply in federal jurisdictions, including First Nation communities. This week the province introduced Bill 56, which would end the public smoking exemptions for reserves. Read more

We have to close the digital divide. That means internet access for everyone. cnn.com, March 10 [OPINION]: People of color and low-income communities have been disproportionately harmed by both the Covid-19 virus and the economic recession. It will be hard to ultimately "Build Back Better" unless we first address the racial and economic impact of the digital divide. Read more

WHO study finds 1 in 3 women face physical, sexual violence. ctvnews.ca, March 9: The UN health agency and its partners have found in a new study that nearly one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, calling the results a “horrifying picture” that requires action by governments and communities alike. Read more

Sugar-sweetened soda intake associated with increased risk of mortality among breast cancer patients. news-medical.net, March 9: New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that breast cancer patients who drink sugar-sweetened beverages regularly are at increased risk for death from any cause and breast cancer in particular. Read more

Dental therapists likely to deliver poor care. gainsville.com, March 8 [OPINION]: Florida's sunshine, lack of state taxes and wealthy seniors have created a glut of dentists on every street corner. It is a fallacy that there is a shortage of dentists. Graduates of Florida's three dental schools have a difficult time finding positions. That is why corporate dentistry has flourished in the state, with a glut of dental graduates willing to take lower-paying jobs. …The only "shortage" of dental care is for individuals who have no money — the poorest who qualify for free dental care through Medicaid. Read more

Dental therapy programs will increase access to oral health care, experts say. shorelinemedia.net, March 7: Michigan will soon implement dental therapy programs to decrease disparities in access to oral health care. According to Misty Davis, an oral health program specialist for the Michigan Primary Care Association, 92% of counties aren’t meeting their communities’ dental needs, but dental therapists will address that shortfall by treating low-income patients. 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

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

April 12-17: The New World of Dentistry 2021. Manitoba Dental Association co-hosts the new national 2021 Virtual Dental Convention with the Canadian Dental Association. Read more

June 10-11: Atlantic Virtual Dental Convention. Read more

September 26-29: FDI World Dental Congress | Special Edition | Sydney 2021 Virtual. 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