Tag: oral health

The announcement of the 2024 Budget has resulted in positive news for dental hygienists in Canada. An expansion of the Federal Government’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program will incentivize dental hygienists to serve underserved rural and remote communities. The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association have widely praised the announcement, which will aid access to oral healthcare for many.

The 2024 Budget has been released by the Canadian Federal Government, which has provided good news for dental hygienists. As a result, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) have praised the announcement [1].

The Budget will aid dental hygienists and allow them to continue to broaden their work – which includes expanding access to dentistry for those in rural communities [1].

This is a very positive step, as it provides support for both dental hygienists and patients. Moreover, this will help more people to receive much-needed oral healthcare.

2024 Budget

The Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, the Honorable Chrystia Freeland, has revealed the federal government’s 2024 budget [1].

One of the headlines of the budget is that the expansion of Canada’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program will now include support for dental hygienists in rural and remote communities [1].

This means that qualified dental hygienists that work in underserved areas – like rural and remote communities – will be eligible for financial relief in the form of Canada’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program [2].

It should be noted that the extent of the Loan Forgiveness will depend based on numerous factors. Every individual will have their own circumstances [2].

The announcement should hopefully result in more dental hygienists working in areas that need oral health professionals. Dental practices that have typically struggled to recruit oral health professionals may find it easier to hire employees now.

Moreover, it provides an incentive for those already working in such areas [1]. They are already providing a critical service, but will now receive better benefits for their work.

Rural or remote communities are considered areas with a population of less than 50,000. Moreover, they cannot be metropolitan areas, nor can they be provincial capitals [2]. Therefore, a lot of areas in Canada are classed as rural or remote.

Research shows that those who live in underserved areas typically have worse oral health than those who live in urban areas [3]. This is often due to a lack of access to treatment and a lack of oral health professionals.

Therefore, such announcements are very helpful. The 2024 Budget will allow many people that wouldn’t normally have access to oral health services receive help.

Response of the CDHA

As mentioned, the CDHA were delighted with the news. The CDHA represent over 30,000 dental hygienists across Canada [1].

Francine Trudeau – President of the CDHA – went on record to express her pleasure with this update [1].

Trudeau has said that the Student Loan Forgiveness program’s expansion “will support dental hygienists in delivering critical oral health care to historically underserved rural and remote communities across Canada” [1].

Moreover, Trudeau has said that dental hygienists are “experts in oral health education and prevention”, and are “keenly aware of the necessity of ensuring Canadians have timely, unencumbered access to preventive oral health care, no matter where they live” [1].

Furthermore, the CDHA have said that they remain committed towards working with the federal government to continue to improve oral healthcare across Canada [1].

The role of dental hygienists

Dental hygienists play a key role in oral health. They work closely with dentists to provide oral healthcare to patients of all ages.

They often provide more targeted treatments, such as scaling, root planing and dental sealants. Moreover, they also commonly carry out oral health screenings.

Therefore, offering those that provide these critical services added extras, like being eligible for the Student Loan Forgiveness program, can help hugely. This will aid both the hygienists, as well as patients in rural and remote areas.

Thinking points…

1) It is very important that you visit a dental clinic regularly for a check-up. This is regardless of if you live in an urban area, or a remote or rural community. Make sure you attend check-ups, as these allow a dentist to take a look at your oral health and suggest treatment if necessary. We recommend booking an appointment now!

2) Have you ever thought about becoming a dental hygienist? Being a dental hygienist can offer a rewarding career. You can provide care to a range of patients, and contribute towards improving the oral health of Canadians. While qualifying to become a dental hygienist takes time, it can be a great career to have! Why not look into it now?

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™! 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] The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association. (2024). Budget 2024: Improving Access to Oral Health Care in Rural and Remote Communities. Available: https://files.cdha.ca/NewsEvents/tag/2024/Federal_budget_2024_loan_forgiveness_announcement.pdf. Last accessed: 26th April 2024.

[2] Government of Canada. (2024). Canada Student Loan forgiveness for family doctors and nurses – Eligibility. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/student-aid/grants-loans/repay/assistance/doctors-nurses/eligibility.html. Last accessed: 26th April 2024.

[3] Gaber, A., Galarneau, C., Feine, J. S., & Emami, E. (2017). Rural-urban disparity in oral health-related quality of life. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. 46 (2): p132-142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12344.

Recent research has studied the impact that Gum Disease treatment can have following a procedure to treat Atrial Fibrillation – which involves an irregular heartbeat. The research team were looking to see reoccurrence rates of the heart issue. Interestingly, the findings showed that gum disease has a large impact on reoccurrence rates and the overall treatment outcome of atrial fibrillation.

Recent research has looked at the impact that treating Gum Disease following a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat can have – with many positives seemingly found [1].

The research suggests that once a person has had a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat – known as Atrial Fibrillation – treatment for gum disease should take place [1].

The findings show benefits for both gum disease and long-term treatment outcomes of atrial fibrillation.

Background

This research looks at several areas. Among them is gum disease, which is an oral health condition that involves the gums becoming red, sore and swollen. The gums often become inflamed, causing pain.

Research shows that gum disease is very common. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older and 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have some form of gum disease [2].

Moreover, the research also involves atrial fibrillation – which is a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat [3]. Normally, this involves an abnormally fast heartbeat.

The condition is a medical emergency, and impacts around 1.4 million people in the United Kingdom each year [3]. It is also common in the United States, with predictions suggesting more than 12 million people are expected to have atrial fibrillation by 2030 [1].

Atrial fibrillation also significantly increases the risk of having a stroke. Fortunately, there are treatment options available.

Now, a research team have sought to see how treatment for gum disease following a procedure for atrial fibrillation impacts both oral and physical health [1].

The Research

The research was carried out by a team of researchers from Japan. Their findings have been published in the Journal of The American Heart Association [1].

To conduct their research, the team followed 288 patients who had undergone a non-surgical procedure to correct atrial fibrillation [1]. This procedure is called Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation, and works by destroying a small area of heart tissue which is linked to irregular heartbeats [1].

Out of these 288 patients, 97 received treatment for gum inflammation following the procedure. The remaining 191 patients did not receive treatment for their gums after undergoing the procedure [1].

The researchers conducted follow-ups on the 288 participants between 8 months and 2 years. In these follow-ups, the team were looking to see how many people had seen a recurrence in atrial fibrillation, and if this was impacted in any way by the severity of gum disease, and if they had been treated for gum disease in the study [1].

The results produced informative findings, and reflected positively on gum disease treatment. The team found that atrial fibrillation had an overall reoccurrence rate of 24% across all participants [1].

However, in a crucial finding, patients that had received treatment for gum disease following the procedure were 61% less likely to experience a reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation [1]. This is a huge percentage, and reflects how important treatment for gum disease can be.

Out of the 191 patients that did not have gum disease treatment, those with more severe cases of gum disease were more likely to suffer a reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation [1].

The researchers concluded that having gum disease was a big risk factor in experiencing a reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation. Treatment for gum disease definitely helped to lower reoccurrence rates [1].

Summary

The results are very interesting, with the impact that the treatment of gum disease can have proving to be significant. The researchers were surprised at just how much gum disease impacted reoccurrence rates.

Shunshuke Miyauchi is an Assistant Professor at Hiroshima University in Japan, and played a key role in the research [4]. Miyauchi confirmed that “proper management of gum disease appears to improve the prognosis of atrial fibrillation” [4]. Moreover, he said that “many people around the world could benefit” from gum disease treatment.

Now, the research team are hoping to explore the link more. Miyachi says that the team “are now working on further research to reveal the mechanism underlying the relationship between” the two areas [4].

While the link between gum disease and our physical health is well-known, this research further affirms the importance of receiving treatment for it. It can clearly help with atrial fibrillation.

Furthermore, we can assume based on this study that it would positively impact a range of other conditions too. So not only can it boost our oral health, but physical health too.

Thinking points…

1) Gum disease affects so many of us. If caught early though, then there is a better chance of limiting its damage. Therefore, it is important that you attend regular dental appointments, as these offer a dentist a chance to spot the signs of gum disease and treat them accordingly. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

2) While gum disease cannot be reversed, treatments are available to help. For example, root planing, scaling, and even a gum graft, are all possible treatments. Here at Savanna Dental Clinic, we will be happy to have a conversation with you about your needs. You can find out more about us at the following link: https://savannadentalclinic.ca. We hope to see you soon!

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] Miyauchi, S., Ouhara, K., Shintani, T., et al. (2024). Periodontal Treatment During the Blanking Period Improves the Outcome of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation. Journal of the American Heart Association. 0: e033740. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.123.033740.

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Periodontal Disease. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/periodontal-disease.html. Last accessed: 13th April 2024.

[3] NHS. (2021). Atrial fibrillation. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atrial-fibrillation/. Last accessed: 13th April 2024.

[4] American Heart Association. (2024). Treating gum disease after heart rhythm ablation reduces risk of AFib recurrence, study finds. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-gum-disease-heart-rhythm-ablation.html. Last accessed: 13th April 2024.

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.