Dental leaders commit to review of infection control rules amid backlog concerns. thenational.scot, June 8: Dental leaders have committed to reviewing infection control rules which could help increase access to dentists. The announcement came after dentists warned that the current rules could have “serious consequences” for patient care. Read more
Dentists call for clarity on PPE as they grapple Covid backlog. standard.co.uk, June 8: Many say that current requirements mean it is impossible for them to see the number of patients they would like. Infection control rules placed on dentists could have “serious consequences” on patient care, leading dentists have warned. Read more
New COVID Dental Study Leads To More Confusion. dkpuk.com, June 8: A newly-published study on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in dental workers, has further clouded the true picture of infection risk in dental practice. Read more
Adult braces on the rise as more people feel self-conscious about their smile during Zoom calls. cnbc.com, June 7: CNBC’s Andrea Day joins ‘The News with Shepard Smith’ to discuss the rising popularity of adult braces as more adults feel self-conscious about their smiles during Zoom calls. Day speaks with patients and doctors about their experiences with adult orthodontics during the pandemic. Watch 2:23
ADA tells White House: No ‘grave danger’ of being exposed to COVID-19 in dental settings. ada.org, June 7: “There does not appear to be a grave danger of being exposed to COVID-19 in dental settings, particularly as the pandemic is decelerating.” This is what the ADA told the White House Office of Management and Budget during a June 1 meeting discussing the potential impact of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s draft COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. Read more
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday. cbc.ca June 9: Mandatory hotel stays, 14-day quarantine period coming to an end for fully vaccinated Canadians. Uneven vaccine distribution around the world raises concern about new variants while fuelling economic problems and unrest. Quebec gives high school seniors green light for proms and graduation ceremonies. Rehiring is finally on the table for more restaurants — but not all workers are coming back. Fully vaccinated Manitobans will be exempt from self-isolation after travelling within Canada. Uniquely situated, Point Roberts, Wash., pushes to be test case as Canada mulls reopening border. Read more
The difficulty of vaccinating the world against COVID-19 is enormous. cbc.ca, June 9: Uneven vaccine distribution raises concern about new variants while fuelling economic problems and unrest. As G7 ministers prepare to meet this week in Cornwall, U.K., there are renewed calls to increase global vaccine manufacturing, as well as rising concerns over a "two-track pandemic" favouring wealthier nations as vaccinations in poorer countries lag. Read more
Health Canada regulates UV, ozone devices it says could pose risk to people. ctvnews.ca, June 8: Health Minister Patty Hajdu says most companies selling UV wands and lights promising to kill viruses will now have to apply to have their products approved by Health Canada and stop claiming they can destroy COVID-19. Hajdu' signed an interim order Monday that will regulate the devices for the first time. Read more
SFU launches eight-week COVID-19 rapid screening clinic for students. dailyhive.com, June 8: A COVID‑19 rapid testing clinic has been launched at Simon Fraser University (SFU). ... The pilot will also help to determine the feasibility of a wider screening approach that may be used as more students return to in-person classes in the fall. Read more
Vaccines may 'blunt' a 4th wave — but delta variant could surge among unvaccinated Manitobans: experts. cbc.ca, June 9: Some experts believe a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases in Manitoba is likely to be more of a molehill than a mountain thanks to increasing rates of vaccination, but one highly contagious variant may still threaten to surge in communities with lower vaccination rates. The number of cases associated with the B.1.617 strain — which was first identified in India — jumped from 18 on Monday to 83 on Tuesday. Those include cases of the B.1617, B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3 variant lineages. Read more
All of Quebec moving to yellow and green next week. montrealgazette.com, June 8: With Quebec registering some of the highest first-dose vaccination rates in the world and COVID-19 cases on the decline, the province announced restrictions will be loosened in the coming days as all regions are downgraded to yellow or green status. Read more
Is Ottawa getting shortchanged on vaccines? ottawacitizen.com, June 9: “The situation seems at odds with the reality in some other regions of Ontario,” Mayor Jim Watson wrote to Premier Doug Ford. When Watson sent a letter to the week asking for 40,000 more doses of vaccine, it wasn’t the first time he has expressed frustration about Ottawa’s apparent COVID-19 vaccine gap. Read more
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Tuesday. cbc.ca, June 8: WHO official says 'high levels of vaccination coverage' is the way out of the pandemic. Ontario faces pressure to shift COVID-19 vaccine 2nd doses to hot-spot communities. 12 more die of COVID-19 in B.C. but end of health emergency in sight as 481 new cases recorded over 3 days. Sask. Opposition proposes $25K lottery for fully vaccinated residents. Read more
New algorithm could help identify COVID-19 outbreaks in neighbourhoods using wastewater data. ctvnews.ca, June 5: Many municipalities across Canada have relied on analyzing wastewater as an early warning system for a rise in COVID-19 cases. Now, a Canadian-led team of researchers have developed a new algorithm that can use wastewater data to pinpoint which neighbourhoods a COVID-19 outbreak has taken place. Read more
'Diminishing demand' for first dose appointments as Kenney encourages people to get COVID-19 vaccine. calgaryherald.com, June 7: By the end-of-day Sunday, 66.7 per cent of Albertans age 12 and over have received at least one dose of either the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines. Read more
It's vaccine Hunger Games, pharmacy prof says of 2nd COVID-19 shot rollout. cbc.ca, June 8: Pharmacists 'overwhelmed,' 'confused' over 2nd-shot rollout, says Dr. Kelly Grindrod. … The rollout for the first shot was clearly laid out in advance. With the second dose, there are many variables and quickly changing messaging, including mix-and-match protocols. As a result, many individuals are receiving their second dose in an unpredictable timetable. Read more
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Monday. cbc.ca, June 7: More restrictions lifted in Quebec, New Brunswick pushing to meet vaccination goal. Postpartum mental health visits spiked by more than 25% in pandemic, research shows. Airlines offer cheap domestic flights to entice Canadians to take to the skies again. Alberta reports 231 new cases of COVID-19 as province looks to Stage 2 reopening this week. Vaccinated travellers can skip quarantine, Nunavut health officials say. Read more
Moderna seeks Canada’s approval for COVID-19 vaccine use in kids 12 and up. globalnews.ca, June 7: Moderna is asking Health Canada to approve its COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents aged 12 and older, following a study that showed doses were “highly effective” at preventing infection in that age group. The submission was made on Monday morning and is currently awaiting Health Canada’s go-ahead. Read more
Ahead of G7 leaders' meeting, foundation calls for vaccine-rich countries to share doses. cbc.ca, June 6: The head of an organization working to strengthen pandemic preparedness called on vaccine-rich countries to "stand up and show courage" by donating more COVID-19 vaccines to developing nations. Read more
COVID-19 shows pharmacists have bigger role to play in Canada's health-care system, experts say. cbc.ca, June 6: Pharmacists are an easily accessible source of essential medications, advice and referrals. Read more
Covid-19 live updates. washingtonpost.com, June 9: E.U. to back U.S. call for new, more thorough study of coronavirus origins. The highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in India now accounts for 6 percent of infections in the United States, but vaccines appear to be highly effective. The State Department is easing travel advisories for dozens of countries, moving nations including Canada, France and Japan. Read more
Coronavirus live. theguardian.com, June 9: Coronavirus live: around 80% of UK adults likely to have antibodies; highest daily cases in Russia since March. San Francisco could be first major US city to hit herd immunity. Read more
U.S. signs $1.2 bln deal for 1.7 mln courses of Merck's experimental COVID-19 drug. financialpost.com, June 9: Merck & Co Inc said on Wednesday the U.S. government has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 treatment, if it is proven to work in an ongoing large trial and authorized by U.S. regulators. The oral antiviral treatment, molnupiravir, aims to stop COVID-19 from progressing and can be given early in the course of the disease, similar to Tamiflu to treat influenza. Read more
Covid-19 live updates. washingtonpost.com, June 8: Vaccine makers should give half their doses to Covax, WHO chief says. The British government is set to delay the reopening of England, which had been scheduled for June 21, by up to two weeks as coronavirus cases pick up. The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 15,589 new infections on Monday, or down nearly 15 percent from the previous week. Read more
Pfizer starting test of COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12. thehill.com, June 8: Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Tuesday that it will begin to test the effectiveness of its coronavirus vaccine in children aged 12 years old and below. According to Reuters, the company will conduct a study among nearly 4,500 children in over 90 clinical sites located in the United States, Poland, Spain and Finland. Read more
WTO panel considers easing protections on COVID-19 vaccines. ctvnews.ca, June 8: Envoys from World Trade Organization member nations are taking up a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines to help developing countries fight the pandemic, an idea backed by the Biden administration but opposed in other wealthy countries with strong pharmaceutical industries. Read more
Coronavirus Variants Have Nowhere to Hide. theatlantic.com, June 7: Our tests will need frequent touch-ups to make sure that no mutations get past them. Read more
People who wore masks were less likely to get sick. axios.com, June 7: Turns out that wearing a mask and social distancing really weren't a waste of time. Exclusive polling data from our Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, which started in March 2020, shows that the respondents who reported never wearing masks were twice as likely to test positive for COVID as those who said they wore masks all the time. Read more
Biden’s vaccine push fails to gain traction with African Americans. politico.com, June 7: Less than a quarter of Black Americans had received their first Covid-19 shot as of June 3. That's less than other racial and ethnic groups tracked by the CDC. Read more
Covid-19 live updates. washingtonpost.com, June 7: G-7 should bear most of cost of vaccinating low-income countries, former leaders say. The United States is averaging fewer than 1 million shots per day, a decline from the peak of 3.4 million in April, threatening President Biden’s goal of immunizing 70 percent of adults by July 4. Donald Trump and his Republican allies have spent the past few weeks trying to rewrite or distort the history of the pandemic, demonizing Anthony S. Fauci while lionizing the former president. Read more
Coronavirus live World news. theguardian.com, June 7: Indian PM Modi announces free jabs for all over-18s; Norway to shorten vaccine interval. Children are vulnerable host for Covid as cases recede, scientists warn. Scientists urge caution after Tony Blair backs UK ‘Covid pass.’ Read more
COVAX hopes to deliver delayed AstraZeneca shots to Africa in June, July. ctvnews.ca, June 4: The COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme hopes to send millions of delayed doses of AstraZeneca's shots to Africa in June and July, but the deployment hinges on a Spanish manufacturing site securing regulatory approval, UN officials said on Friday. Read more
India to provide free vaccines to all in major policy shift. ctvnews.ca, June 7: India's federal government will provide free coronavirus shots to any adult starting later this month and take back control of the country's vaccination drive, marred by delays and shortages, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Monday. Read more
Thais debut locally made AstraZeneca vaccine but supplies are tight. ctvnews.ca, June 7: …Hospitals in various parts of the country have been posting notices for several days that some scheduled appointments would be delayed, adding to existing public skepticism about how many doses Siam Bioscience would be able to produce each month. Read more
Is the handshake back? How we're greeting each other as the world reopens. ctvnews.ca, June 5: A year ago, health experts seemed to declare the handshake dead. So now that the pandemic is in retreat in some parts of the world, is it time to give the handshake another shot? Read more
A New Type Of COVID-19 Vaccine Could Debut Soon. npr.org, June 6: A new kind of COVID‑19 vaccine could be available as soon as this summer. It's what's known as a protein subunit vaccine. It works somewhat differently from the current crop of vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. but is based on a well-understood technology and doesn't require special refrigeration. … The first protein subunit COVID‑19 vaccine to become available will likely come from the biotech company, Novavax. ... A large test of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine's effectiveness, conducted in tens of thousands of volunteers in the United States and Mexico, is about to wrap up. Dr. Gregory Glenn, president of research and development for Novavax, told an audience at a recent webinar hosted by the International Society for Vaccines that "we anticipate filing for authorization in the U.K., U.S. and Europe in the third quarter." Read more
Pandemic impacting employees’ financial well-being, work productivity: survey. benefitscanada.com, June 9: The prolonged coronavirus pandemic’s effect on working Canadians’ financial well-being persists, with the stress taking a toll on their savings and their productivity in the workplace, according to a new survey by LifeWorks Inc. Read more
Canadian consumers are open towards cigarette alternatives: Imperial Tobacco Canada CEO. bnnbloomberg.ca, June 8: Ralf Wittenberg, CEO of Imperial Tobacco Canada, talks about their company strategy amid COVID-19. He explains how the cigarette maker is pushing to reduce the health and environmental impact of their products while also creating more alternatives to cigarettes. He says the Canadian market is very open when it comes to change with tobacco products. Watch 7:53
Two-thirds of Canadians want hybrid model or a 15-minute commute to work after pandemic. ctvnews.ca, June 8: The survey, conducted by Angus Reid for the flexible workspace provider International Workplace Group (IWC), asked a sample of more than 1,509 employed Canadians who are members of the online Angus Reid Forum about their working preferences after COVID-19 restrictions lift. According to the findings, the majority of Canadians don’t appear to be keen to return to the workplace five days a week, unless the location of their job is nearby. Read more
Pratt and Eaton: If we say mental health help is on its way for Indigenous people, we’d better mean it. ottawacitizen.com, June 7 [OPINION]: The promised government funds must flow swiftly and directly to the front lines. Traumatized communities can’t wait any longer. Read more
Inuit cancer patients often face difficult decisions without support far from home. theconversation.com, June 7: Inuit are resilient. They have demonstrated self-determination and the ability to navigate and adapt to harsh and changing environments. Read more
Opinion: Alberta's vaping legislation sits in limbo as COVID exacerbates e-cigarette dangers.calgaryherald.com, June 7 [OPINION]: A cascade of inaction characterizes Alberta’s approach to preventing young people from vaping and becoming smokers — just when Alberta should act. Read more
Sugary Drink Tax May Be Heavy on Wallets, but Beneficial for Dental Health: Hygienist. vocm.com, June 5: The provincial government is pushing ahead with a 20 cent per litre tax on sugary drinks as of next April. While a local dental hygienist believes that may not be great for what’s in people’s pockets, it will be beneficial for their teeth. Nicole Kielly, the outgoing president of the NL Dental Hygienists Association, says it is how often sugar is consumed and the type of sugar that’s consumed that makes people more susceptible to cavities. Read more
A Coke, a smoke and policing behaviour: When taxes and public health collide. cbc.ca, June 5: Changing public health can be tricky, especially with taxes that are inherently regressive. Read more
UN urges action to end AIDS, saying COVID-19 hurt progress. ctvnews.ca, June 9: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a declaration Tuesday calling for urgent action to end AIDS by 2030, noting "with alarm" that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and pushed access to AIDS medicines, treatments and diagnosis further off track. Read more
More women being diagnosed with mouth cancer, researchers say. 9news.com.au, June 9: Head and neck surgeons say more women are being diagnosed with mouth cancer and research is underway to help unravel what's fuelling the alarming trend. … surgeons here and overseas have identified a rise in the number of women being diagnosed with cases increasing about 5 per cent each year. Read more
Raise age for sale of cigarettes to 21 and stop ‘tobacco epidemic’, say UK MPs. theguardian.com, June 9: Making it illegal for more young people to buy cigarettes would help meet the government’s target of ending smoking by 2030, MPs say. Read more
Urgent action needed to curb dental recruitment crisis. the-probe-co.uk, June 8: In the last few years, dental recruitment challenges have escalated from a localised problem to a national crisis. Some within the profession argue that the situation will only intensify in light of Brexit and the lack of clarity when it comes to recognising dental qualifications obtained overseas. Read more
Bills to ban vitamin E acetate in vaping products advance in Michigan. leaderpost.com, June 8: An ingredient strongly implicated in the EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) outbreak that spread across the U.S. in 2019 could soon be banned in the state of Michigan. Last week, Michigan’s House approved three bills that would ban the sale of tobacco and cannabis vaping products containing vitamin E acetate. The ingredient has been banned from cannabis vaping products in Canada since 2019. Read more
FDA to Keep Regulating Vaping Products After Supreme Court Rejects Industry Challenge. rollingstone.com, June 7: The court will not hear a case in which the vaping industry challenged the agency’s broad authority to oversee what goes into tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Read more
How young schoolkids are using Facebook to buy $14 vapes that 'pack the same punch as SIX packets of cigarettes' - as top doctor issues warning every parent must read. dailymail.co.uk, June 7: A top doctor has warned of the serious health effects of readily available and highly toxic vapes that are being purchased by teenagers for just $14. Nicotine e-cigarettes are being bought by schoolkids as young as 13, with one in five teenagers in Australia estimated to be using the highly-addictive devices. The illegal vape pens contain 50 milligrams of salt nicotine, which some experts claim is equivalent to smoking six packets of cigarettes. Read more
Editorial: The pandemic let us imagine a world without waste. latimes.com, June 6 [OPINION}: To wrap your mind around the vast problem of waste, it helps to start by thinking about the disposable dental flosser. … It is designed for a single occasion of between-the-teeth cleaning. … And when the day’s teeth cleaning is finished, the flosser is thrown away. It might be recycled, but odds are good it will be taken to a landfill and outlive its users as well as many generations of their descendants. Read more
FDA approves first new Alzheimer’s drug in almost 20 years. theguardian.com, June 7: Usefulness of aducanumab is disputed but US approval will trigger push to make it available globally. 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
June 10-11: Atlantic Virtual Dental Convention. Read more
September 25-26: 2021 Virtual Saskatchewan Oral Health Conference. Read more
September 26-29: FDI World Dental Congress | Special Edition | Sydney 2021 Virtual. Read more
September 30 – October 2: Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics (CARDP) 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. Read more
October 15-19: Journées dentaires internationales du Québec 2021. 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.