Aviva Canada’s CEO says pandemic insurance coverage is now a thing of the past. morns.ca, Apr 7 (also published in Globe and Mail): Pandemic insurance will most likely become a thing of the past after the experiences of the COVID-19 outbreak, says Aviva Insurance Company of Canada’s chief executive Jason Storah. The head of Canada’s third-largest property and casualty insurer had a front row seat to the early days of COVID-19 when the virus shut down more than a million companies across the country – including many Canadian dentists who had a coveted insurance policy that promised a payout of up to $20,000 in the event they had to close because of a pandemic. Read more
TYH: What is ‘mask mouth’, and how can you prevent it? ckpgtoday.ca, Apr 6: …The Canadian Dental Association says they are seeing an increase of ‘mask mouth’ when patients visit the dentist. All due to an imbalance of bacteria in your mouth, usually caused by dry mouth. ... Dr. Ward says keeping hydrated, brushing your teeth at lunch, eating healthier, and drinking less alcohol will keep your teeth happier, and limit ‘mask mouth’. Read more
Press Release | The ACDQ demands that the government vaccinate dentists and their teams. acdq.qc.ca, April 1: The Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec (ACDQ) demands that the government vaccinate dentists and dental clinic staff. Given the growing presence of variants across Quebec, all health care professionals urgently need to be vaccinated. Read more - Lire plus
Isolation pods help dental students with practical learning. news.stv.tv, Apr 5: Special isolation pods have been installed in Dundee to help dental students return to practical learning amid the coronavirus pandemic. … “Pods allow us more places where we can teach our students and only have to wait 10 minutes for the aerosol to disperse. This means we can start to address the backlog in student teaching and experience which has arisen with this significant change in the practise of dentistry.” Read more
Dental safety research spurred on by challenges of COVID-19. miragenews.com, Apr 7: The pandemic has presented unique challenges for dental professionals the world over, in many cases curtailing or cancelling patient treatment altogether. Spurred on by these challenges, which saw dentists labelled as among the professionals facing the greatest coronavirus risk, research conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina evaluated how devices work in preventing saliva escaping into the air during dental procedures. Read more
Dentists working to keep up with demand as patients return. wsbtv.com, April 5: Life appears to be easing back to normal and with that is a crush on doctor’s appointments. Local dentists say they are being slammed with patients and they’re having to work hard to catch patients up. Read more
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday. cbc.ca, Apr 7: 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccines should be offered after all eligible populations get their 1st, immunization committee says. Ontario to impose stay-at-home order, closing non-essential retail, sources say. Educators, academics raise alarm about kids "checking out" of school amid COVID-19. It’s time for Manitoba to call in the military to aid vaccine rollout, former EMO head says. "We must defeat these variants," says Kenney as Alberta returns to tighter COVID-19 restrictions. Read more
Canada could give 75% of adults first vaccine jab by mid-June, NACI says. globalnews.ca, Apr 7: Canada could give 75 per cent of adults their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by mid-June if provinces stretch the dosing intervals between COVID-19 jabs up to four months, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization said Wednesday. … By allowing for these intervals, nine out of 10 adults over 50 years of age and 75 per cent of adults aged 16 to 49 will be able to get their first vaccine dose by the middle of June, according to a summary within NACI’s decision. Read more
Vaccination no-shows: Why are thousands of appointments going unfilled? ctvnews.ca, Apr 6: Vaccinate and vaccinate quickly — those are public health orders across the country. But in a rollout plagued with confusion, doses have gone unclaimed in some instances despite the urgency and calls from doctors for vaccines to be opened up to workplace hotspots and essential workers. Read more
‘We must all speed up’: Trudeau offers help to provinces as vaccine rollout trails deliveries. globalnews.ca, Apr 6: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government stands ready to jump in and help provinces with their vaccination efforts as millions of vaccines await administering in freezers across the country. Read more
Younger, healthier people need intensive care quickly with variants of COVID-19: Tam. ctvnews.ca, Apr 6: Provincial governments are grappling with how to bring the third wave of COVID-19 under control, as the more virulent variants of the virus begin to dominate and younger, healthier people are getting very sick, very quickly. From Ontario and Quebec to British Columbia and Alberta, fear of the variants is growing as swiftly as the caseloads, particularly for young people who might still think the virus won't hit them that hard. Read more
New COVID-19 rapid testing site opening in Winnipeg to make testing more accessible to Indigenous people. cbc.ca, Apr 6 :…As part of its rapid testing site operations, Ma Mawi staff will offer wraparound care to help those who may need transportation, child care or food, among other things in order to get tested, she said. … The wraparound support systems are in place so that, while people wait for their test results and if someone tests positive, their day-to-day obligations are taken care of. They will also receive mental health support during their isolation. Read more
Coronavirus: What’s happening in Canada and around the world on Tuesday. cbc.ca, April 6: Saskatchewan reports record-high number of COVID-19 patients in ICU. Coronavirus variants causing growing alarm in B.C. as cases surge, hospitalizations rise. COVID-19 shots for school? What needs to happen to get kids in Canada immunized. Ontario logs 3,065 new COVID-19 cases ahead of vaccine update. Ontario urged to deploy more rapid COVID-19 tests to slow pandemic's explosive 3rd wave. N.S. opens to Newfoundland and Labrador, other COVID-19 restrictions eased. Alberta health officials investigating 2 workplace outbreaks of P1 coronavirus variant. Australia and New Zealand to launch "travel bubble" April 19 in pandemic milestone. Read more
PM points to federal sick leave and offers premiers more vaccine help as COVID-19 cases surging. ctvnews.ca, April 6: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reminding front-line workers that a federal sick leave benefit is available, and is offering premiers more help to speed up their vaccine rollouts, saying now is not the time to debate who should be paying for what. His remarks come as the country faces a third major surge in cases and questions are being raised about the pace and take-up of available vaccine appointments in some provinces. Read more
In defence of Canada’s unprecedented decision for a four-month vaccine interval. nationalpost.com, April 4: … Throwing thousands of Canadian seniors into three extra months of vaccine limbo was never going to be popular, particularly when Canada is the only jurisdiction on Earth to use a four-month interval between doses. That controversy is not going to abate anytime soon, but below find the best arguments as to why Canada’s decision to stretch its booster shot gap could end up saving lives. Read more
U.S. FDA approves 2 at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. When will Canada catch up? globalnews.ca, April 4: Pressure is mounting for the Canadian government to authorize COVID-19 rapid tests to be used at home as more have been approved for use in the United States. Read more
Companies behind Ontario-developed graphene facemask welcome Health Canada scrutiny. torontosun.com, Apr 5: Producers of made-in-Ontario graphene-based personal protective equipment welcomed Health Canada’s warning last week regarding the nanomaterial, confident the scrutiny will flush poor-quality products out of the market. ... This came as a surprise to Trebor Rx Corp. and ZEN Graphene Solutions — two Ontario companies partnering to produce PPE treated with graphene-based ink that just last month gained Health Canada approval. Those plans, said Trebor CEO George Irwin, have been placed on hold — at least temporarily. Read more
Allergies or COVID-19? What we know about symptoms a year later. ctvnews.ca, April 5: While Canada continues to implement measures to reduce the spread of COVID‑19 and the virus variants, Dr. Jason K. Lee of the Toronto Allergy and Asthma Clinic says it’s paramount to get allergy symptoms under control to know the difference between whether you’ve contracted coronavirus or just have allergies. Read more
Warehouses, factories, construction sites responsible for far more workplace outbreaks than retail and restaurants, data shows. thestar.com, April 6: … Ontario’s relentless focus on restaurants, salons and retailers during the province’s recent lockdown seems to indicate that they are the businesses responsible for the third wave currently sweeping the province. However, an analysis of workplace outbreak data shows that’s not the case. Read more
COVID-19 Live Updates. washingtonpost.com, Apr 7: Pandemic has severely impacted human rights of millions around the world, says Amnesty. Nearly 8 in 10 teachers, school staff and child-care workers in the United States have received at least their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, federal officials said, after a push to make the vaccines available to them. Covid-19 has been linked with an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders, according to a new study in Lancet Psychiatry — a stark reminder of the sprawling indirect effects of a virus. Read more
EU regulator finds "possible" link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots. axios.com, Apr 7: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded Wednesday that "unusual blood clots with low blood platelets" should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, but that the benefits of the shot still outweigh the risks. Read more
A third of COVID-19 survivors suffer neurological or mental disorders, study finds. ctvnews.ca, Apr 6: One in three COVID-19 survivors in a study of more than 230,000 mostly American patients were diagnosed with a brain or psychiatric disorder within six months, suggesting the pandemic could lead to a wave of mental and neurological problems. Researchers who conducted the analysis said it was not clear how the virus was linked to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression, but that these were the most common diagnoses among the 14 disorders they looked at. Read more
Study suggests vaccines may improve symptoms for some COVID-19 long-haulers. cbc.ca, Apr 7: Small U.K. study says 23% of vaccinated 'long COVID' patients saw symptoms reduce post-vaccination. Read more
German vaccine experts: No risks in vaccine switch after first AstraZeneca dose. ctvnews.ca, Apr 7: Germany's vaccine advisory committee sees no disadvantages or risks from giving younger recipients of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine a second dose of an alternative shot, two of its members said on Wednesday. Read more
Oxford researchers pause trial of COVID-19 vaccine in children, teenagers. thehill.com, Apr 6: An Oxford spokesperson said there are no safety concerns concerning the pediatric research, but the trial is paused while they await "additional information" from MHRA, which is reviewing possible links between the vaccine and rare blood clots in adults. Read more
CDC says risk of COVID-19 transmission on surfaces 1 in 10,000. thehill.com, April 5: The risk of getting a COVID-19 infection from contaminated surfaces is extremely low, according to updated guidance published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Read more
US vaccination rate nearly five times faster than the world average. thehill.com, April 5: In total, the U.S. has given out an average of about 3 million vaccine doses per day, reaching more than 900 shots per 100,000 people every day. The world average for vaccine doses per day is 16 million, amounting to 200 shots per 100,000 people every day. Read more
Troubling "Eek" variant found in most Tokyo hospital COVID cases - NHK. reuters.com, April 4: Around 70% of coronavirus patients tested at a Tokyo hospital last month carried a mutation known for reducing vaccine protection, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said on Sunday. The E484K mutation, nicknamed “Eek” by some scientists, was found in 10 of 14 people who tested positive for the virus at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Medical Hospital in March, the report said. Read more
Covid-19 live updates. washingtonpost.com, April 6: Texas will ban government-mandated “vaccine passports” that would require someone to show proof of coronavirus immunization to enter a space or receive a service, the second state to do so. More than 4 million people in the United States received a coronavirus vaccine on Saturday — the nation’s highest one-day total since the shots began rolling out in December — amid a rising caseload and increase in hospitalizations. Mass inoculation may shield the unvaccinated, in addition to the immunized, a new study by Israeli researchers suggests. Read more
Global COVID-19 death toll surpasses 3 million amid new infections resurgence. reuters.com, April 6: Worldwide COVID-19 deaths are rising once again, especially in Brazil and India. Health officials blame more infectious variants that were first detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa, along with public fatigue with lockdowns and other restrictions. Read more
Alcohol-related liver disease on the rise among young women amid increased pandemic drinking. abcnews.go.com, Apr 6: Alcohol use has been on the rise during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Nunavut government talks teeth for Oral Health Month. nunatsiaq.com, Apr 7: Dental hygiene association says health of mouth and teeth linked to overall health. It’s Oral Health Month across Canada and Nunavut’s Health Department is marking the occasion with tips on staying healthy. Read more
Peterborough boy with world's longest baby tooth wonders: 'How did it fit into my gums?' cbc.ca, Apr 6: Peterborough's Luke Boulton, 9, earns Guinness World Record for 2.6 cm baby tooth. … Even the dentist [Dr. Chris McArthur} said it was the longest tooth he'd ever seen in his two decades on the job. The tooth's record-breaking status was confirmed last week. Read more
Provincial budget slaps tax on vaping products. ckom.com, Apr 6: In just a few months, all vaping liquids, devices and products will be subject to a 20 per cent retail tax. The new tax will replace the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) but will be on top of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) already applied to the items. The new hike was introduced in Tuesday’s provincial budget, and is aimed at discouraging youth and young adults from picking up the habit of vaping. Read more
Canada-wide ban on menthol cigarettes leads to significant increases in quitting among smokers. eurekalert.org, Apr 6: Bans on menthol cigarettes across Canada from 2016 to 2017 led to a significant increase in the number of smokers who attempted to quit, smokers who quit successfully, and lower rates of relapse among former smokers, according to a new research study from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (the ITC Project) at the University of Waterloo. Read more
COVID-19 shows us why Canada needs a federal alcohol act. policyoptions.com, Apr 7: Alcohol misuse accounts for 38 per cent of all health care costs. Canadians are drinking more. This is a perfect policy window to implement an act. Read more
Pfizer arthritis drug Xeljanz under Health Canada scrutiny for safety risks. ctvnews.ca, Apr 6: Canada's health regulator said on Tuesday it was launching a probe into Pfizer Inc's arthritis drug, Xeljanz, after a trial by the company identified increased risk of serious heart-related issues and cancer in the participants. The trial investigated the long-term safety of Xeljanz at two doses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who are at least 50 years old and have at least one cardiovascular risk factor, the regulator said. Read more
Expanding access to dental care is good for Mainers and the economy. bangordailynews.com, Apr 6 [Editorial]: It’s become a perennial issue in Maine: Lawmakers introduce legislation to extend health insurance, both public and private, to cover dental care. This year is no different with three such bills pending in Augusta. Read more
16 Hydrogen Peroxide Uses You Never Knew About – Use Hydrogen Peroxide as a Mouth Rinse. msn.com, Apr 6: Hydrogen peroxide is a common active ingredient in many types of mouthwash, according to the American Dental Association. Save money on mouthwash by mixing equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water and swish it around your mouth. Bonus: It’ll help naturally whiten your teeth in the process. 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
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
May 6-8: 2021 Ontario Dental Association Annual Spring Meeting (ASM21) Read more
June 2-5: Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention’s (OSAP) 2021 Virtual Conference. 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
We invite you to send us leads to news stories worth sharing oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca.