Category: Oral Health

Dentists across Canada have been left frustrated about the Canadian Federal Dental Plan. There are a few reasons behind the frustration. However, the main concern is how politicians are giving the wrong impression about the plan, with many senior citizens believing all care is free. The frustrations have led to some dentists to threaten to turn away from the program.

Dentists across Canada are voicing their frustrations over some elements of the Canadian Federal Dental Plan, with some suggesting they will turn away from the program [1].

There are several sources of this frustration. The federal government have sought to clarify their position on some factors in an effort to ease concerns.

Background

After a significant period of waiting, the Canadian Dental Plan finally launched towards the end of 2023 [2]. It will be rolled out gradually, with eligible older citizens being the first group to be the recipients of the plan. This will be in May.

Dental costs in Canada have acted as a barrier for many people in the past. For example, in 2022, approximately 25% of Canadians reported that they avoided seeing a dentist due to cost [2]. Moreover, around a third of Canadians do not have dental insurance.

Therefore, the idea of having a dental plan to help those in need of oral care was received positively by the public. The plan will help those with an annual family income of less than $90,000 [2]. The federal government has put aside $13 billion to fund the plan.

However, while the federal government have consulted dentists regarding the plan, there are many concerns among oral health professionals and organizations.

Why are oral health professionals frustrated?

There are many sources of frustration for oral health professionals. Some of the most vocal signs of discontent has come from the Dental Association of Prince Edward Island (PEI) [1].

The association’s main concern is the belief that federal politicians are giving seniors the impression that the program means free dental care – although this isn’t the case [1].

Executive director Brian Barrett summed up the feeling of the association. He said that “when the Prime Minister or the minister of health or [Jagmeet] Singh (NDP leader) stands up and tells seniors that you are now eligible to apply for this plan and your treatment will be free, that causes a major problem for all dental offices” [1].

The belief is that the federal government are making it sound like everyone is entitled to free dental care. But as discussed above, those with household incomes over $90,000 are not eligible for the plan [1].

But even those that are eligible do not receive “free” dental care. When the government pays for a dental procedure under the plan, this acts as a fee-for-service rate that is set by the government [1].

However, Barrett points out that these rates do not match the fees charged by dental offices, making it difficult for dentists to successfully implement the plan in their clinic [1].

Barrett said that they have “no idea” where the government got the numbers. Furthermore, he has said that the numbers “have no relationship at all to the annual fee guides that we publish” [1].

In a normal case, insurance companies would pay a percentage of a procedure’s provincial fee guide. However, this is not the same with the federal program. In fact, Barrett pointed out that many of the fees are close to 90% of what dentists are charging [1].

What impact is this having on dental clinics?

The impact of the unwittingly erroneous information being handed out is being felt significantly by dental clinics.

Many seniors are contacting dental clinics to arrange appointments, but are being told that they will need to pay. This is at odds with the impression they have received from the government.

Barrett has said that administrative staff are struggling with increased workloads, and that there is a shortage of staff across dental clinics [1]. These problems are likely to impact the welfare of staff members.

Moreover, these problems have come at a time where the plan’s rollout is still a few weeks away. Therefore, the problems are likely to worsen as we get closer to May.

Aside from administrative staff, dentists too are being impacted. For example, the association carried out a survey on its members, with 32 of the 36 respondents saying that they would not sign up for the plan [1]. Therefore, this underlines the disappointment that dentists are feeling.

Additionally, Mary Boyd, who also works at the association, has argued that the dental plan should have been changed to suit the wider Canadian population [1].

Boyd says that by spending an extra $1 billion dollars would result in a universal dental plan that could provide support for all Canadians [1]. The current plan has been labelled as “a partial program” by Boyd.

How have the government responded?

The government clearly have many concerns to tackle. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health said that Health Minister Mark Holland has never said the program is free [1].

Moreover, the spokesperson said that information published online clearly shows who is eligible for the plan and other relevant information [1].

The spokesperson also responded to the concerns over the fee rates not yet being confirmed. The spokesperson said that consultations on the fees are continuing [1].

As well as this concern, there is also a lack of information on how the federal program and existing provincial programs will co-exist. This is another source of frustration.

There are certainly still many challenges in place, with the rollout just weeks away. Hopefully these concerns will be fixed so that patients can receive excellent oral healthcare.

Thinking points…

1) With the impending rollout of the plan, some people are trying to wait until they become eligible for the plan before next going to the dentist. But this is unwise, as problems will worsen over time and become more damaging. Therefore, we recommend that you attend a dental clinic soon for a check-up. This will help to keep your oral health strong. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

2) As discussed earlier, some people find that dental fees are a barrier to receiving dental care. However, here at Savanna Dental, our prices are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This ensures that our fees are transparent, reliable, and trustworthy! To find out more about us and to book an appointment, you can visit our website: https://savannadentalclinic.ca/.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign[TM]! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!

References

[1] Yarr, K. (2024). ‘It’s not free’: P.E.I. dentists frustrated with federal dental plan. Available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-canada-dental-care-plan-frustration-1.7156721. Last accessed: 30th March 2024.

[2] Health Canada. (2024). Government of Canada announces the services covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2024/02/government-of-canada-announces-the-services-covered-under-the-canadian-dental-care-plan.html. Last accessed: 30th March 2024.

The Dental Operative Microscope (DOM) is a key component in modern dentistry. It was first introduced in the 1980s, and has provided a range of benefits to dentists and their patients. These benefits include an enhanced vision of a patient’s oral health and prevention. Now, new research has looked into the impact of DOMs.

When patients go to the dentist, the chances are that they won’t take much notice of what their dentist is wearing, nor think about what the purpose of each item or tool they are using is.

However, over the last few decades, there have been great advances in dentistry. Therefore, this has resulted in improvements in the tools that dentists use.

One of the most landmark introductions in the modern era is the Dental Operative Microscope (DOM). This tool has revolutionized dentistry. Now, research into the impact of the DOM has taken place [1].

What is the Dental Operative Microscope?

Traditionally, dentistry has heavily relied on the human eye for diagnosis and treatment. But as time has passed, dentistry has become more complex, resulting in the need for enhancements in dental technology.

A milestone moment for dentistry came in 1981, when the Dental Operative Microscope was introduced. It was first known as the “Dentiscope” [1].

A DOM is a microscope that is used by dentists. It provides dentists with enhanced vision of the oral health of their patients. Learning how to use DOMs is a key component of education at dentistry schools.

DOMs have reduced the reliance on the human eye, and have resulted in a higher detection rate of problems. In fact, DOMs are used in the vast majority of areas of dentistry, including endodontics and operative dentistry [1].

The Benefits of DOMs

With DOMs having such a transformative impact on dentistry, new research has looked into its impact and highlighted its benefits.

The research was carried out by a team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Moreover, their findings were published in the International Journal of Oral Science [1].

One of the key benefits that DOMs provide include enhanced vision for the dentist. As mentioned earlier, by having better vision, the dentist isn’t so reliant on the naked eye, which means more accurate results [1].

Moreover, DOMs provide adaptations for eyepiece distance, diopter correction, magnification levels, brightness levels, and selection of filters [1].

DOMs have also helped to reduce errors, as they provide dentists with more of a thorough look at the oral health of their patients. For example, dentists are able to identify openings of canals in the teeth, check the fitting of a crown, or see cracks in the teeth [1]. This was not possible with the naked eye.

The importance of clinician and patient comfort

However, the research team did point out that using DOMs require a systemic approach which involves a dental professional following standard rules and regulations [1].

Among these rules are safeguarding the components of DOMs, ensuring that seating for both clinician and patient is suitable, and that the way that their patient is positioned is suitable [1].

Clinician and patient comfort are important. DOMs help to achieve this, as long as the dental professional utilizes the tool as they should.

In terms of clinician comfort, this is important. After all, dental professionals need to be comfortable while operating. But before DOMs, this was not always possible. For example, past research found that 30% of dentists that retired early did so because of a musculoskeletal disorder – with this particularly the case in female dentists [2].

Summary

The research team highlighted numerous benefits. Moreover, DOMs will continue to play a role going forward in dentistry.

Dentistry continues to change, meaning that technology will need to adapt. DOMs will definitely play a key role in this, and will continue to aid dental professionals.

Overall, the use of DOMs have revolutionized dentistry. As we see technology continue to evolve, it is expected that DOMs will advance in their capabilities too. This will make them continue to be an essential part of dentistry.

Thinking points…

1) As discussed previously, DOMs make it easier for dentists to see problems in the mouth. But just think – if the dentist can’t see issues to the naked eye, then either can you! Therefore, remember to attend regular dental appointments, so that any problems can be picked up on immediately. A dentist will be able to use a DOM and other equipment to take a thorough look at your oral health. We recommend that you book an appointment right away!

2) At your next dental appointment, why not take a moment to have a look at the various equipment that surrounds you? You might find it very interesting to see some of the instruments! You can make this coincide with a check-up – remember to have these once every six months. Why not book an appointment now?

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Liu, B., Zhou, X., Yue, L., et al. (2023). Experts consensus on the procedure of dental operative microscope in endodontics and operative dentistry. International Journal of Oral Science. 15 (43). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-023-00247-y.

[2] Valachi, B. (2008). Musculoskeletal health of the woman dentist: distinctive interventions for a growing population. Journal of the California Dental Association. 36 (2): p127-132. PMID: 18411975.

With Obesity being a growing problem worldwide, there is a focus within healthcare of finding ways to improve the situation. New research has looked at the potential role that dentists could have in addressing weight management. The research has explored how dentists could incorporate weight management into dental check-ups, with positive findings.

Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide, with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling obesity a “global epidemic” [1].

Finding ways of combatting obesity has proven difficult for health professionals. However, new research has looked into how dentists could play a role in this.

The research seemingly suggests that this could have a positive impact on the weight loss of patients [2]. This would be very helpful to the global healthcare system.

Obesity “epidemic”

Obesity is defined as someone with excess body fat. However, obesity goes beyond being overweight, and is a serious health concern.

Obesity has a range of negative health consequences. Research shows that obesity increases the risk of numerous types of cancer, premature death, cardiovascular conditions, stroke, and mental health problems [3].

Moreover, the economic impact of obesity is significant. Annual obesity-related healthcare costs in the United States alone is estimated to be over $170 billion [3].

The WHO have noted their concerns over obesity, referring to it as an “epidemic”. For example, the WHO have said that rates of obesity have almost trebled since 1975 [1].

From an oral health perspective, obesity is very relevant. As obesity is often caused by an over-consumption of high calorie or sugary foods, it can impact oral health. In fact, there is a strong connection between Gum Disease and obesity [4].

The Research

The research was undertaken by a team from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. Their findings have been published in the Obesity Reviews journal [2].

There are limited treatments for obesity. Instead, lifestyle and diet changes are recommended. While a doctor may provide this information, there is also the possibility that dentists could deliver this information – with this possibility looked into as part of this research.

The team reviewed 28 past studies from seven different countries on dental input into weight management [2]. This spanned 13,684 participants.

The past research pointed towards weight management being useful for patients. The research found that approximately 83% of participants were in support of weight being discussed in a dental appointment [2].

Also, the participants appeared to largely support being signposted to other health departments by dentists. This would create a wider support network across healthcare for patients [2].

Aside from reviewing past research, the team also worked directly with dentists and patients in the United Kingdom to assess how weight management screening could become part of a routine dental appointment [2].

They found that there is currently a lack of input during dental appointments to discuss weight issues. The researchers explained that existing barriers included weight stigma, lack of time, and a fear of offending their patient [2].

Moreover, the researchers also cautioned that it would be a delicate topic with children, as discussing weight at such a young age could risk inducing an eating disorder [2].

The researchers also pointed out that training and support would be necessary for dentists to make this approach work. Furthermore, clear guidance and advocacy from stakeholders, including professional regulatory bodies, would be required [2].

But the overall opinion was that discussing weight management during dental appointments was positive.

Author Comments

The findings were positive, and suggest that dentists can certainly play a role in weight management. Patients are seemingly receptive to this idea too.

Pediatric Dentist Jessica Large and Professor Amanda Daley led the research. The duo were pleased with the results, and voiced their approval of the findings [5].

Large said that “all health professionals have the opportunity to contribute to reducing obesity and improving health, and these results suggest that with the right support and training, dentists could help in a positive way to achieve this” [5].

Moreover, Daley said that dental appointments provide “an ideal opportunity to screen and intervene to reduce obesity”, along with offering the chance for dentists to offer dietary advice, which puts them in “a strong position to address weight concerns” [5].

Hopefully, this research will result in more dentists engaging with their patients regarding weight management. It could help the overall health of patients and contribute towards lessening the burden of obesity on the global healthcare system.

Thinking points…

1) One of the biggest drivers of obesity is high-sugar and calorific foods. This also links with the onset of tooth decay and oral health problems, as sugar has a negative effect on our oral health. Therefore, try and limit your sugar intake, and regularly attend dental appointments. At these appointments, any problems can be identified and then treated accordingly. We recommend booking a check-up now!

2) Weight management is definitely a sensitive topic. If you feel that you want to lose some weight, then you can start by setting yourself some targets like exercising more and increasing vegetable intake. This should also positively impact your oral health, as this will typically involve less sugary snacks being consumed!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] World Health Organization. (2024). Controlling the global obesity epidemic. Available: https://www.who.int/activities/controlling-the-global-obesity-epidemic. Last accessed: 21st February 2024.

[2] Large, J. F., Madigan, C., Graham, H., Biddle, G. J. H., Sanders, J., & Daley, A. J. (2024). Public and dental teams’ views about weight management interventions in dental health settings: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews. (Early View): e13726. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13726.

[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Consequences of Obesity. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/consequences.html. Last accessed: 21st February 2024.

[4] De Castilhos, E. D., Horta, B. L., Gigante, D. P., Demarco, F. F., Peres, K. G., & Peres, M. A. (2012). Association between obesity and periodontal disease in young adults: a population-based birth cohort. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 39 (8): p717-724. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-051x.2012.01906.x.

[5] Loughborough University. (2024). Study finds patients happy to get support on how to lose weight during routine dental appointments. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-patients-happy-weight-routine-dental.html. Last accessed: 21st February 2024.