Professional Advances for Dental Hygienists Continue to Expand Canadians' Access to Oral Health Care

Canadians are gaining better access to oral health care and a wider choice in how and where they receive care, as dental hygienists continue to make professional advances in many parts of the country.

The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) marks National Dental Hygienists Week from April 13 to 20, 2008. This event celebrates the progress that has been made in the development of the dental hygiene profession. As it recognizes the accomplishments, the CDHA also remains committed to building on that progress and helping to bring oral hygiene services to more Canadians who need them.

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"A new relationship is developing between dental hygienists and the Canadian public," says Carol-Ann Yakiwchuk, President of the CDHA. "In more parts of the country, dental hygienists can provide their services in new types of venues, including community health centres, long-term care facilities, mobile clinics and from their own store-front clinics. This gives Canadians more options for accessing dental hygiene services, which in turn promotes prevention of oral disease."

In the past year, new legislation in Ontario and Nova Scotia paved the way for dental hygienists to reach beyond the traditional dental practice setting and without the supervision or authorization of a dentist. Such legislation already existed in British Columbia and Alberta. Manitoba has passed similar legislation and the regulations will be made public soon. In addition, dental hygiene is a self-regulated profession in Saskatchewan and Quebec. Further legislative modernization and development of new practice models for dental hygienists is expected in the near future, with changes anticipated in Quebec as well as elsewhere in the Atlantic provinces.

Education, professional development and research are also increasingly important as dental hygienists take on more complex and independent roles. "The CDHA believes that our profession must redouble its efforts to bring the latest knowledge and technologies to dental hygienists, as their practices become increasingly sophisticated and demanding," says Ms. Yakiwchuk. "More dental hygienists are studying in Masters degree programs, following their entry to practice education, which supports more research in dental hygiene methods and approaches."

To learn more about the dental hygiene profession and oral health, visit the CDHA website at www.cdha.ca .

Contacts: Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) Media contact: Judy Lux Health Policy Communication Specialist, CDHA 613-224-5515 ext. 123/1-800-267-5235 jal@cdha.ca .

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Professional Advances for Dental Hygienists Continue to Expand Canadians' Access to Oral Health Care

Market Wire, April, 2008

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