News Bites from CDA Knowledge Networks – 2021/06/23

What you need to know as a modified Atlantic Bubble opens. globalnews.ca, June 23: ...P.E.I. residents travelling within Atlantic Canada for essential same-day travel — such as child custody or medical and dental appointments — are not required to self-isolate when returning to P.E.I., subject to restrictions. Read more

Dentists deal with patient overload as COVID wanes. wtsp.com, June 22: Dentists are packed with in-person appointments and trying to catch up on cancelations since the pandemic. Read more

Dental Clinics Want Insurer to Pay For COVID-19 Losses. law360.com, June 21: The operators of almost 50 dental clinics in Arkansas and Missouri told an Arkansas federal court Monday that Cincinnati Insurance Co. owes them coverage for losses they sustained because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

One Silver Lining of the Pandemic: More of Us Will Emerge With Straight Teeth. washingtonian.com, June 22: Turns out, the pandemic has spurred many adults to get braces. Read more

Dentists call for action as figures show full impact of pandemic on service in Northern Ireland. bda.org, June 22: The British Dental Association Northern Ireland has said further action is needed to ensure Health Service dentistry can recover from the impact of the COVID pandemic as new figures reveal the full extent of the collapse in attendance. Read more

Increased demand for dentists making appointments difficult to get. wwlp.com, June 19: More people are making dental appointments and as a result, many dental practices are booked solid for many weeks. According to a new poll, 94 percent of typical dental patients said they’re ready to go back or have already been back to the dentist. The poll also found patient volume in private practices is at 86-percent on average. Read more

COVID-19 halted many dentist trips, but adverse effects can be reversed. audacy.com/kywnewsradio, June 19. Dr. Stephen Brown is a nationally known periodontist who practices in Center City with the Perio Group. He said the lockdown and subsequent stress of the pandemic created numerous problems for people, with many of them directly related to stress. Read more

In the Absence of In-Person Classes, Dentistry Courses Use Virtual Reality. voanews.com, June 21: While virtual reality-based simulation is commonly used in medical education, its use in dental education is still limited. Two university professors in the U.S. want to change that. They developed a VR dental clinic that offers the potential to revolutionize dental education. Vina Mubtadi reports. Read more

Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday. cbc.ca, June 23: N.B.-N.S. border remains closed due to protest about isolation requirements. Thousands applied to enter N.S., some lured by an advertising campaign. Then the 3rd wave hit. Quebec set to go green as cases drop, vaccination rate rises. COVID-19 cases are surging among those who aren't vaccinated, says Yukon's chief medical officer. You’ve had your 2nd dose. What's safe to do now? Read more

Why mixing Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could help Canada end the pandemic sooner. cbc.ca, June 23 [Health • Analysis]: Mixing doses can protect more Canadians from COVID-19 now — and fight new variants. Canadians who are offered a different COVID-19 vaccine for their second shot than their first shouldn't hesitate to mix and match, experts say, as supply temporarily shifts from Pfizer-BioNTech to Moderna. Read more

Canadian study finds mRNA vaccines produce more COVID-19 antibodies than AstraZeneca. globalnews.ca, June 23: Initial results from a new Canadian study are reinforcing the importance of getting that second COVID-19 vaccine shot — particularly if the first dose was AstraZeneca. Read more

Customers can ask about an employee's vaccination status, but employers can't share it: experts. ctvnews.ca, June 23: As pandemic restrictions continue to loosen across Canada amid increased vaccination rates, some customers may be hesitant to return to certain businesses if they are not made aware of the employees' COVID-19 vaccination status. However, experts say employers are not permitted to share their workers’ private medical information. Read more

Ontario meets vaccine targets to enter Step 3 weeks ahead of schedule. toronto.ctvnews.ca, June 23: Ontario has met the vaccination thresholds required to enter the third and final step of the economic reopening weeks ahead of schedule. … The province, however, is still in the first step of the reopening plan and top cabinet ministers are offering vague suggestions about whether the next steps will be sped up. Read more

Schools don't pose higher COVID-19 risk than outside community: Canadian study. ctvnews.ca, June 22: The results are in for a Canadian study that was designed to answer the question on the lips of every parent, teacher and student: How safe are schools when it comes to COVID-19 transmission? … The study authors say their results, which were released today, found that infection rates were no greater among staff than other adults in the general public. Read more

Two-thirds of Canadians say governments shouldn't lift all COVID-19 restrictions. ctvnews.ca, June 22: A new poll suggests about two-thirds of Canadians believe that governments should not lift all restrictions related to COVID-19. Sixty-nine per cent of respondents to an online survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies say restrictions should stay in place as people continue to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. Read more

Expert urges Canada to ‘follow the science’ on COVID-19 vaccine passports. globalnews.ca, June 20: After one theatre in the U.S. temporarily disallowed those who had received Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccines from attending a show, an expert is warning this could just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential issues with vaccine passports. Read more

Even fully vaccinated, Canada will have to be vigilant against COVID outbreaks: Tam. nationalpost.com, June 21: Until vaccine coverage is high across the world, new variants could continue to emerge and strain public health resources. Read more

COVID-19 outbreak at Toronto [Western] hospital infects some who have received both vaccine doses. toronto.ctvnews.ca, June 21: …The outbreak was first declared on June 17 and so far four patients and three staff members have been affected. … Some of those affected by the outbreak have had either one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. UHN said that all the cases so far are mild. Read more

Canada hits COVID-19 vaccine milestone as 75% receive one dose, 20% fully vaccinated. globalnews.ca, June 19: Over 75 per cent of eligible Canadians over 12 years old have now received at least one jab of an approved COVID-19 vaccine while more than 20 per cent have been fully vaccinated. According to COVID-19 Tracker Canada, the country hit its 75 per cent partially vaccinated threshold Friday evening with 25,029,378 Canadians receiving one dose of vaccine. Read more

Canada set to receive 5.2M COVID-19 vaccine doses this week. Globalnews.ca, June 21: Around 2.4 million are expected to come from Pfizer and BioNTech, though that shipment isn’t slated to land until mid-week and has prompted some jurisdictions to temporarily pause walk-in appointments or make use of other vaccines due to the brief delay. Read more

Vaccinated Canadian travellers can skip quarantine on July 5. iPolitics.ca, June 21: Beginning on July 5, Canadians and permanent residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer have to quarantine for 14 days upon entering Canada, or stay in a government-approved hotel. Read more

Businesses, U.S. legislators fume as Canada extends travel ban; Trudeau stands firm. Ctvnews.ca, June 19: Canada is extending a ban on nonessential travel with the United States and the rest of the world until July 21, officials said on Friday, prompting frustration from businesses and U.S. legislators. Read more

COVID-19: Alberta public health measures to end on July 1. globalnews.ca, June 19: Nearly all of Alberta’s provincial health measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 will be lifted on July 1, Premier Jason Kenney announced on Friday. Read more

With COVID-19 restrictions disappearing next week, experts express concern over Delta variant. citynews.ca, June 21: Fireworks will be going off July 1 as Alberta celebrates Canada Day–the only province in Canada with no more restrictions as of that date. This comes after the province reached the vaccination milestone, allowing the province to fully reopen. Read more

COVID-19: Saskatchewan sets Step 3 reopen date for July 11, adds 55 new cases. globalnews.ca, June 19: With 70 per cent of the 18 and older population vaccinated with their first dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine, Saskatchewan has met part of the threshold to begin Step 3 of the province’s reopening plan. Read more

More than 150 fired, resign over Covid vaccine requirement at Houston hospital. nbcnews.ca, June 23: A judge earlier this month dismissed an employee lawsuit over Houston Methodist hospital system's vaccine requirement. Read more

Morgan Stanley will bar workers without Covid vaccinations from most New York offices beginning July 12. cnbc.com, June 22: Employees who are not fully vaccinated will have to continue working remotely, the company told workers Tuesday. The move, which will allow Morgan Stanley to lift mask and physical distancing requirements in its offices, follows similar actions by other financial giants. Read more

White House acknowledges U.S. will miss July 4 vaccination goal. axios.com, June 22: The Biden administration acknowledges it will likely miss its goal of vaccinating 70% of U.S. adults with at least one dose by July 4. Despite falling short of the goal, the White House still believes most Americans will be safe to fully celebrate Independence Day, as COVID-19 cases and deaths remain at low levels throughout much of the country. Read more

U.S. pushes vaccinations for younger Americans as concerns about delta variant spread. cbc.ca, June 22: Fauci calls delta variant 'the greatest threat' to the fight against COVID-19. The U.S. government is stepping up efforts to get younger Americans vaccinated for COVID-19 as concerns grow about the spread of a new variant that threatens to set the country back in the months ahead. Read more

Half of US workers mulling new jobs, careers after pandemic: survey. thehill.com, June 22: Roughly half of U.S. workers are reconsidering their current jobs and are willing to learn new skills to work in a different industry, according to a poll from Prudential Financial. The poll found half of all respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic has given them more control over their careers. Read more

Covid-19 live updates. washingtonpost.com, June 22: America hits 150 million fully vaccinated, says White House. Housing inequalities exacerbated by the coronavirus still remain, report finds. The number of Americans relying on Medicaid reached an all-time high during the pandemic, with nearly 74 million Americans now covered through the safety-net health insurance. Read more

America is ready to return to normal. Biden’s CDC chief isn’t so sure. politico.com, June 21: The CDC faces its biggest test yet: loosening its public safety guidance as the pandemic recedes, while simultaneously trying to prevent infection rates from spiking. Read more

Overnight Health Care. thehill.com, June 21: Medicaid enrollment reaches new high | White House gives allocation plan for 55M doses | Schumer backs dental, vision, hearing in Medicare. | COVID-19 vaccination coverage for younger Americans lagging behind older adults. Read more

The psychology behind COVID-19 vaccine lotteries. axios.com, June 21: …The list of lotteries and raffles states are launching to drive up COVID-19 vaccination rates is growing, and some local officials are already reporting "encouraging" results. The reason why, some psychologists and public health experts say, is the allure of lotteries for many people is simply the prospect of winning a great prize seems better than passing up the chance, regardless of the odds. Read more

India’s vaccinations hit record with free COVID-19 shots. reuters.com, June 21: India gave out a record 7.5 million vaccine doses on Monday under a federal campaign to inoculate all adults for free after weeks of criticism that a chaotic rollout had worsened a second wave that killed hundreds of thousands. Read more

SLFNHA, CCOH calling for immediate action to address dental crisis. siouxbulletin.com, June 22: Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) and Chiefs are calling for immediate action by the federal government, stating that Sioux Lookout area First Nations have been experiencing a dental crisis for years, which has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. … The Bulletin reached out to ISC last week for comments. No response had been received as of the time this article was sent to print. Read more

Indigenous Services Canada working with First Nations to improve dental services. tbnewswatch.com, June 22: The federal government is speaking out for the first time about allegations it has failed to provide adequate dental services to First Nations in the Sioux Lookout region. … The federal department said it's working with First Nations, SLFNHA, other health partners and Ontario to support and improve dental services. Read more

Artificial intelligence is changing how we diagnose disease, triage cases in the ER, even help prep doctors. thestar.com, June 22: If the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed anything, it’s that health care and hospitals are in desperate need of new ways to get help to the people who require it most. An increasing number of medical professionals are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) — machine learning that has massive potential for triage, diagnosis and treatment applications in health care. Read more

Cystic fibrosis life-altering drug nearing patient access across the country: Health Canada. globalnews.ca, June 20: For the cystic fibrosis (CF) community, persistence and constant belief are paying off. Health Canada announced on Friday that the cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta is now available to be prescribed by doctors across Canada. Read more

Federal NDP candidate Malakos is in favour of government-funded dental health care for all. thereview.ca, June 22 [LETTER]: ...I know many who are afraid to smile, and have mental health concerns as a result. I know some who have major health crises due to an inability to see a dentist. In a country with the wealth of Canada, this is wrong. Read more

How the pandemic impacted vaping and smoking rates — and why it showed vaping is 'here to stay.' cbc.ca, June 18: At the same time, an expert says we can’t forget about the ‘old pandemic’ of smoking. Read more

Group Calls for National Regulation of Vape Flavours. cjwwradio.com, June 22: A National organization known as Youth4Change is calling on the federal government to regulate all Vape flavours including mint and menthol. The group says more than 1 in 4 youth who start vaping will start smoking afterwards. Youth4Change says flavoured vape products are a way to entice kids into a nicotine addiction and vaping trends among youth have doubled since 2017. Read more

Once easily accessible, codeine is more tightly restricted in Newfoundland and Labrador. saltwire.com, June 21: ... While a prescription is not necessary for low-dose codeine in Newfoundland and Labrador, you have to ask the pharmacist for it, and the pharmacist is required to consult you to determine whether it’s the right fit. Some pharmacies won’t dispense codeine at all without a prescription. Read more

New report illustrates how the opioid crisis is impacting young people in Alberta. globalnews.ca, June 17: Alberta is on course to set a new record high for youth opioid-related deaths in 2021. According to a new report by the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate Alberta, 95 people under the age of 25 died due to accidental opioid poisoning last year. Read more

Medical residents on frontlines of pandemic face obstacles in becoming fully licensed doctors. ctvnews.ca, June 21: ...Residents have been thwarted from taking the key qualifying exam known as the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II, as it has been delayed several times since May 2020 due to COVID-19 public health restrictions. Read more

Racially profiled sickle cell disease patients say they face poor care. ctvnews.ca, June 19: Some 5,000 Canadians suffer from the disease. But for many patients who seek medical help during a crisis, they are racially profiled and discriminated against, resulting in poor health care and potentially deadly consequences. Read more

Ottawa approves new truth and reconciliation legislation on National Indigenous Peoples Day. cbc.ca, June 21: New Canadians will soon have to affirm their commitment to respecting treaties with Indigenous peoples when they are sworn in as citizens. Two pieces of legislation concerning the government's relationship with Indigenous peoples received royal assent and became law Monday evening. Read more

Critics Lambast Canada’s Proposed Flavor Ban. tobaccoreporter.com, June 21: Health advocates and vapor industry groups criticized Canada’s proposal to ban all flavored vaping products except for tobacco, mint and menthol. Published June 19 in the Canada Gazette, the draft legislation was criticized for falling short by tobacco control advocates and for going too far by the Canadian Vaping Industry Association (CVA). Read more

First private dental clinic opens in Rankin Inlet. cbc.ca, June 20: Nunavut's Kivalliq region will have its first private dental clinic open its doors Wednesday. Hamza Jafri, a dentist from Winnipeg, said he opened the Northern Smile Dental Clinic in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, because he believes the community should be able to access dental services year-round. Read more

The Economist publishes EFP-commissioned report on financial and human cost of gum disease. the-probe-co.uk, June 23: A report commissioned by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) provides a comprehensive analysis of the financial and human cost of gum disease in six Western European countries. The report, Time to take gum disease seriously: The societal and economic impact of periodontitis explains how more effective prevention of gum disease could save billions in healthcare costs and lead to healthier lives. Read more

ADA study finds about half of restored teeth in US contain amalgam. ada.org, June 22: Research can be used to assess future caries prevention, amalgam reduction effort. Read more

UB accepts first class to pipeline program designed to increase diversity in dentistry. buffalo.edu, June 23: The School of Dental Medicine has welcomed the first cohort of 24 students to the Destination Dental School program, a new initiative that aims to remove barriers to careers in dentistry for underrepresented students. Read more

Gov. Abbot Signs Teledentistry Bill, Ending Ban and Allowing Virtual Dentistry in Texas. dallasinnovates.com, June 22: If you don’t like going to the dentist, don’t worry—now the dentist can virtually come to you. Gov. Bill Abbott signed House Bill 2056 Friday, ending a ban on teledentistry in Texas and allowing it to be performed statewide like other telemedicine practices. The bill signed by Abbott comes after a legal fight between the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners and those opposing the ban. Read more

Advocates push to restore dental benefits to Medicaid program in state budget. wmur.com, June 22: A last-minute maneuver at the State House in Concord [New Hampshire] means Medicaid adult dental benefits are no longer in the state budget, but there appears to be bipartisan support to fund a program that advocates contend will ultimately save taxpayer dollars. Read more

Drinking coffee of any type cuts risk for liver problems, study says. ctvnews.ca, June 22:  Drinking up to three or four cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee a day reduces your risk of developing and dying from chronic liver diseases, a new study found. Read more

Better reporting of studies on artificial intelligence. medicalxpress.com, June 21: An increasing number of studies on artificial intelligence (AI) are published in the dental and oral sciences but aspects of these studies suffer from a range of limitations. Standards towards reporting, like the recently published CONSORT-AI extension, can help to improve studies in this emerging field. Watch authors Falk Schwendicke and Joachim Krois of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, discuss the Journal of Dental Research (JDR) article "Better Reporting of Studies on Artificial Intelligence: CONSORT-AI and Beyond," moderated by JDR Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Jakubovics, Newcastle University, England. Read more and watch 18:52

Report identifies barriers to accessing dental care for low-income Californians. newsroom.ucla.edu, June 21: A policy brief by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research identifies three of the most important factors that have led to disparities in Californians’ access to dental care. There are fewer dentists per capita in some parts of the state. About 79% of the state’s dentists did not provide care for low-income patients who rely on Medi-Cal. Only 8% of the state’s dentists are Latino or Black, compared with 60% of the state’s low-income adult population overall. Read more

Mims residents hear arguments for, against fluoride in water. mynews13.com, June 22: More than a month after Brevard County stopped adding fluoride to the water going to customers in Mims, some residents were able to hear a collection of arguments both for and against the practice known as community water fluoridation. Read more

50% oral cancer patients die within a year: Tata study. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, June 21: A first-of-its-kind study on the ‘cost of illness analysis of oral cancer’ reveals that half of patients in India die within a year od diagnosis and are aged between 30-50 years, leading to a huge productivity loss for the country. 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

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