Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 5

D elivering CDA’s remarks, Dr. Armstrong explained to the committee how the practise of dentistry has changed due to increased infection protection and control measures. “New guidance and regulation stemming from COVID-19 have made performing outpatient procedures more difficult, physically draining and time-consuming,” he said. “It’s not simply a single aspect of the new approach that is problematic, but rather, it is a cascading effect of changes to how every aspect of care has changed.” Dr. Armstrong explained how a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) has made it difficult for dentists across the country to practise and he emphasized the significance of dentists as frontline health care workers. “As governments and health care providers work together to find long-term solutions to sourcing and maintaining a consistent and dependable supply of PPE in Canada, dentistry needs to be at the table,” he said. CDA’s statements also outlined public funding for oral health services in Canada—which is limited, with less than 6% of dentistry being publicly funded—and how the need for it may rise due to increased unemployment rates. “Growth in usage of publicly-funded oral health care programs is particularly acute among low-income seniors, children and individuals with physical and developmental challenges,” Dr. Armstrong said. “Over the past decade, the erosion of provincial/territorial funding of these programs has created a circumstance where the needs of these vulnerable groups are no longer being adequately met.” He told the committee that the federal government has a clear role to play in ensuring that provincial and territorial oral health care programs are adequately funded so they can “appropriately address the challenges to come.” CDA also called on the federal government to set standards for oral health care in long-term care (LTC) facilities, reinforcing CDA Addresses House of Commons’ Health Committee On June 10, 2020, Dr. James Armstrong, CDApresident, andDr. Aaron Burry, CDA’s associate director of Professional Affairs, addressed theHouse of Commons StandingCommittee onHealth. The committee met as part of their study on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has impacted the Canadian health system. suggested standards that CDA has called for in the past. “We recognize that there will be large and far-reaching discussions on how best to care for seniors in LTC facilities, and these oral health standards might seem minor in the current context,” Dr. Armstrong said. “But these small steps can help to contribute to the development of a culture of care, oversight, and responsibility that will be critical to setting things right for Canada’s seniors.” CDA’s presentation made three main recommendations: 1. That greater consideration be given to dentistry as vital frontline health care workers when considering access to PPE. 2. That the federal government create a specific oral health envelope of $3 billion as part of the Canada Health Transfer. 3. That basic oral health standards be part of any future review of the state of health in LTC facilities. CDA’s suggested standards for LTC facilities: “Our suggested standards were not onerous, and are the very least that we believed should be provided to any senior in care,” Dr. Armstrong told the standing committee on health. Those standards include: • An oral health assessment on intake; • A daily oral health plan; • A yearly visit with a dentist; • And a location within the facility where dentistry can be done. 14 | 2020 | Issue 5 CDA at W ork