Bridging the Financial Gap in Dental Care

Appendix B - About CDA

About CDA

Founded in 1902 and representing the dental profession across Canada, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is a trusted brand and source of information for and about the dental profession, on national and international issues. CDA is a separately incorporated national association whose members are 10 corporate-member provincial and territorial dental associations (PDAs) representing nine provinces and three territories. Quebec-based dentists can also access CDA programs and benefits as CDA Affiliate Members.

Mission

CDA is the national voice for dentistry dedicated to the promotion of optimal oral health, an essential component of general health, and to the advancement and leadership of a unified profession.

Vision

• A Healthy Public
• A Strong Profession
• A United Community

Prioritizing Goals of Canadian Dentists

Provincial and territorial dental associations, faculties of dentistry, dental regulatory authorities, and specialty groups each have their own goals to achieve. CDA connects all stakeholders across the dental profession, prioritizing the goals of CDA’s Corporate Members and through these organizations Canadian practising dentists.

Corporate Members, dentists and dental and health care stakeholder groups benefit from CDA every day. CDA works with Corporate Members and stakeholder groups to discuss professional issues at the national level and to identify potential solutions for a range of issues impacting dentistry, oral health, small business relations, and more.

CDA Primary Areas of Focus

CDA’s three primary areas of focus include Advocacy, Knowledge and Practice Support Services. CDA also offers a range of programs, and services to support the dental profession in meaningful ways.

Advocacy

CDA lobbies the federal government on issues facing the dental profession in Canada as well as advocating for access to optimal oral health care for all Canadians. CDA’s primary advocacy tools include government relations, media relations, and public education.

Knowledge

CDA captures, organizes and disseminates information about oral health and the dental profession to Corporate Members and their member dentists and to key stakeholders.

Practice Support Services

CDA provides a range of practice support services and programs, which help ensure that dentists are efficient, secure and compliant with applicable regulations when sending e-claims, e-referrals and patient records electronically.

About Dentistry in Canada

With over 25,000 licensed dentists working out of over 16,000 offices, most of them small businesses, dentistry represents a significant portion of Canada’s healthcare sector. In 2019, $16.4 billion was spent on addressing Canadians’ dental care needs.

CDA maintains strong relationships with all dental stakeholders in Canada and internationally by ensuring ongoing dialogue with the leadership of the various national dental groups, including the Canadian Dental Specialties Association (CDSA) and the national dental specialty organizations, the Canadian Dental Regulatory Authorities Federation (CDRAF), the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD), the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB), the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC), the Canadian Association of Hospital Dentists (CAHD), the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) and the Federation of the Canadian Dentistry Student Associations (FCDSA), the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI), the American Dental Association (ADA), and Canadian Dental Service Plans Inc. (CDSPI).

CDA has ongoing communications with other organizations that impact the delivery of oral health care, such as the Dental Industry Association of Canada (DIAC) and the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) and remains in regular contact with the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) and the Canadian Dental Assistants Association (CDAA).