CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 3

16 | 2018 | Issue 3 CDA at W ork ❚ ❙ ❘ Newfoundland and Labrador The Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association (NLDA) increased its involvement in the community by attending the “Baby and Me Boutique,” while staying involved in the local Kids Expo, the Association for New Canadians Health Fair, and contributing a “Living Healthy” segment to Saltscapes magazine. In addition, the NLDA ran radio advertisements and launched a bookmark campaign outlining “good vs. bad” food choices, from an oral health perspective. ❚ ❙ ❘ Nova Scotia The Nova Scotia Dental Association (NSDA) released its annual oral health report titled, A Path to Better Oral Health for Patients with Special Health Care Needs . This year’s report discusses barriers to oral health care for persons with disabilities and proposes key recommendations for improved care. The report is available at nsdental.org . Additionally, NSDA participated in Sharing Smiles Day , a dental student-led initiative with Dalhousie University and the not-for- profit organization Oral Health, Total Health. The day focused on advocacy, education and improving oral health care for persons with disabilities. ❚ ❙ ❘ Manitoba The Manitoba Dental Association (MDA) focused on three main initiatives in April. First, they partnered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation on its Count Your Cubes initiative, which focuses on reducing sugar intake by promoting awareness of the amount of sugar in various foods and drinks. The MDA also partnered with the Never Alone Foundation to provide an oral cancer screening clinic. And finally, the MDA sponsored Sharing Smiles , an event hosted by the dental students at the University of Manitoba that promotes dental health among various disadvantaged groups in Winnipeg. ❚ ❙ ❘ Prince Edward Island In P.E.I., the Dental Association of Prince Edward Island participated in “A Gift from the Heart” on April 7 at the province’s local dental assisting school. This was a free national dental hygiene initiative where dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants volunteered services for low-income, non-insured patients. Patients were screened by a dentist, radiographs were taken by dental assistant volunteers, and some patients had scaling appointments completed by the volunteer hygienists. ❚ ❙ ❘ Saskatchewan The College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan ran a public service campaign highlighting the importance of visiting the dentist before a child reaches age one or within six months of the eruption of the first tooth. On April 14, dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, therapists and student dental assistants and hygienists participated in the 7th annual Dental Day at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Regina. Patients from Open Door Society and Regina Food Bank received over $30,000 of dental services from these volunteers. ❚ ❙ ❘ Canadian Dental Association The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) showcased best practices for maintaining optimal oral health care in a social media campaign. Specifically, CDA highlighted the 5 steps to good oral health and focused on discussing a different step each week of April. CDA posted oral health care facts and trivia on social media daily, including a variety of visuals, videos, and polls. a  NOVA SCOTIA ORAL HEALTH REPORT 2018 APATH TOBETTERORALHEALTH FORPATIENTS WITH SPECIALHEALTHCARENEEDS. NovaScotiadentists know thatpersons livingwith specialhealth careneeds facemanybarriers to careeveryday.Goodoralhealth isa critical componentofahealthy, full life,and collectivelywe can domore to support the 19%ofNovaScotians livingwithdisabilities toensure they receive the importantdental care theyneed. THE SITUATION Thereareanestimated3.8millionpeople inCanada 15 yearsor olderwhohaveadisability that limits theirdailyactivity.Every onehas the right togoodoralhealth,but forpatients livingwith specialhealth careneeds, thereareanumberofbarriers to care that can lead tounmetdentalneeds—placing thematgreater risk for severedentaldecay,pain,gumdisease,anddamaged teeth. Dependingon the severityofapatient’s specialhealth care needs, it’spossible that issues related to theirhearing, vision, chronic condition,mobility,dexterity, learning,psychological, developmental,and intellectual challenges canaffect theway they receiveorparticipate in theirpersonaloralhealth care. OTHER FACTORSMAY INCLUDE: • Prescribedmedications • Various levelsofdependence • Specializeddietand feeding • Fear,anxiety,ororalaversions • Living situations (community- based living, long term care facility,home-bound, rural versusurban) • Transportationandmobility • Limited specialized careor interpersonal relationships with your familyphysician, dentist,andother caregivers • Cognitiveabilities • Communication • Behavioral issues • Physicalbarriers 1.902.420.0088 nsda@eastlink.ca /NovaScotiaDentalAssociation @theNSDA Poororalhealth canalso contribute to systemic illnesses like aspirationpneumonia , systemic infectionand inflammation , poordigestion , diabetes ,and heartdisease .    