Are you a DIAC Member?
Click the icon below to log in!
February 28, 2023 - A message from CDA President, Dr. Lynn Tomkins
Good Afternoon,
In collaboration with provincial and territorial dental associations, CDA has prepared the attached policy paper to serve as a roadmap for the federal government as it creates a long-term dental program for underserved Canadians. The policy paper, Bridging the Financial Gap in Dental Care: Building a sustainable and effective federally funded program, follows the federal government’s historic investment in dental care, announced in Budget 2022.
CDA’s key recommendations include:
Dental Care in Canada
Canadians receive some of the best oral health care in the world, and the majority of Canadians visit the dentist every year. Dental care in Canada is delivered largely through private dental clinics owned and operated by highly trained and educated dental professionals. It is mainly financed through private dental coverage or via out-of-pocket payments. For more than a century, this system has provided quality dental care to thousands of patients and benefited the oral health of Canadians, which has improved in the past few decades.
But even the best systems have gaps and challenges. Two-thirds of Canadians have private dental coverage that funds all or part of their dental care. Without dental coverage, especially employer-sponsored benefits, the average Canadian would not be able to afford dental care. This is why the promised federal investment of $5.3 billion into Canadian dental care is so important.
Also attached is a one-pager to provide a snapshot of the recommendations. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to meet regarding this paper. We would be pleased to have a discussion.
Thank you,
Dr. Lynn Tomkins President
CDA Policy Paper_Snapshot_One Pager.pdf
2023-02-28_Bridging-financial-gap-in-dental-care_Final.pdf
2023-02-28_Page-unique-Document-d-orientation.pdf
2023-02-28_Combler-les-lacunes-en-matière-de-financement-des-soins-dentaires.pdf
Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ontario recently hosted several free webinars on Medical Device & AI Software Regulation as part of its Medventions Lecture Series.
Content is geared heavily toward USA (FDA) but there are some excellent points made that would apply to Health Canada/Canada as well.
Links to View:
Medical Device & AI Software Regulation - Part 1
Medical Device & AI Software Regulation - Part 2
On behalf of all our members, DIAC would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Hyo Maier of The Aurum Group.
--
A Tribute to Hyo from His Family:
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Hans Joachim ‘Hyo’ Maier, age 79, on January 2, 2023.
Born in Tubingen, Germany on May 7, 1943, to adoring parents, Hans and Paula Maier, Hyo grew up in an idyllic, storybook town with his younger brother Gerhard, his many aunts, uncles and cousins - and within his parents’ lively circle of friends who showed him from an early age, the joy of human connection and a zest for life that would come to define his own style of living.
At age 19, after completing an apprenticeship as a dental technician, Hyo immigrated to Calgary, Canada with just a suitcase and $100 - and his adventurous spirit. He quickly became a partner with his employer, and by 1971 had bought out his partners and renamed the company Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories. In the ensuing decades, fueled by Hyo’s vision, Aurum established itself as an international, industry-wide leader.
In 1963, Hyo met his great love, best friend and soul mate Diana at English night school. They married in Tubingen, Germany December 1967 and shared 59 years of love and adventure raising their 3 children, delighting in their 7 grandchildren, and traveling to all corners of the world for business and pleasure with friends and family.
Hyo was a purveyor of the good life and lived it enthusiastically and humbly. With his welcoming nature, contagious joie de vivre and larger than life spirit, he found reason to celebrate life with or without an occasion. To sit at his table and share a meal was how Hyo chose to show his love.
His passion for food, wine and hospitality found its perfect pairing in La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs where he was a member and eventual Bailli of Canada affording him decades of pleasure with a lifelong friendship circle.
To his last days, Hyo showed us how to live: with an unwavering passion for life; with a dedicated love for his wife; a devotion to his family and a vision and drive for his business. He was a true gentleman who lived without a complaint, a criticism, or an unkindness and radiated a positivity that lit up a room and our hearts. Life was reason enough to celebrate and he did so daily with a joy and generosity that will be his legacy.
DIAC Executive Director, Rhonda Lawson, and Manager of Communications and Member Services, Heather Plewes-LaBerge, were honoured to be invited to attend the ADTO's recent Black-Tie and Awards Gala at the CN Tower.
Our member company Ivoclar sponsored the event.
Photos feature Rhonda, Heather, Rob Mior of Ivoclar, ADTO President Karim Sahil, ADTO Administrator Veronica Ng, and others.
DIAC would like to thank the ADTO for the generous invitation and congratulate the event organizers on a lovely evening in a very memorable space!
September 26, 2022 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC Updates Healthcare IPC Guidance for SARS-CoV-2
On Friday, CDC updated the following infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance documents for U.S. healthcare settings:
These updates have been made to reflect the high levels of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity and the availability of effective treatments and prevention tools. Additionally, to streamline and consolidate existing healthcare IPC guidance, the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes | CDC was archived. However, relevant information for nursing homes not otherwise covered in Sections 1 and 2 of the main healthcare IPC guidance have now been incorporated into Section 3: Setting-specific considerations.
CDC recommends healthcare facilities reference updated Community Transmission metrics on a weekly basis to inform facility-level actions. Community Transmission remains the metric used to guide select actions in healthcare settings, which is different than the COVID-19 Community Levels used for non-healthcare settings. Community Transmission is used to allow for earlier intervention, before there is strain on the healthcare system, and to better protect the individuals seeking medical care in these settings.
Summary of Key Updates:
These updates provide additional protection measures for patients and healthcare workers, especially in hospitals and nursing homes, where COVID-19 is more likely to spread quickly or cause severe disease if introduced.
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against COVID-19. By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, some healthcare personnel are at increased risk of infection from COVID-19. CDC recommends healthcare personnel get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. Examples of what it means to be “up to date” with vaccinations are described in Stay Up to Date with Your Vaccines.
Dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) should regularly consult their state dental boards and state or local health departments for current information and recommendations and requirements specific to their jurisdictions, which might change based on level of community transmission in the county where their healthcare facility is located. As a reminder, DHCP are licensed by their state regulatory body and should practice according to their state dental practice acts or other relevant regulations.
CLICK HERE to read the May issue of Health Canada's Health Product InfoWatch.
To receive the Health Product InfoWatch and notifications of health product advisories electronically, subscribe to MedEffectTM eNotice or to MedEffectTM Canada RSS feeds.
Health Canada has been approached regarding the attached notice of withdrawal from MDSAP by LRQA and they provided the following response:
While we do not yet have a transition strategy that we can make public, I can assure you that our intent is to ensure that affected companies benefit from a reasonable transition period and to avoid suspending licences. We are currently still discussing a path forward with LRQA and our MDSAP partners and do not intend to take any punitive action towards the affected manufacturers for something that is out of their control.
We hope to have a transition strategy to share with the affected companies soon; in the interim please rest easy knowing that we do not foresee taking any action against the affected licences.
Obituary courtesy of Kearney Funeral Services
It is with profound sadness that we announce that Al Heaps, as he was known to his family, many friends and business colleagues, passed away on May 20, 2022. Al lived a rich life, full of achievements and adventures. A loving brother, brother in-law, uncle, great uncle and friend, he will be deeply missed by all who knew and were close to him. Predeceased by his parents, Thelma and Joe, sisters June and Janice, and brothers Fred, Bob, Bill and Leonard. Survived by sisters Mary Lou, Nancy and Lila, and brothers Bert, Douglas, Michael, Donald and Patrick. As an uncle to Ben, Mikaela, Emily Jo, Todd, Darrell, Kim, Michelle, Tanya, Sean, Alison and Andrew, Al provided many great memories of love, laughter and cherished moments. This enduring love will live forever in all of us and in the generations after us.
Al will be remembered for his kindness and generosity; his willingness to lend a hand and support whenever called; and, as the brother who would go all out to gather the family together whenever possible: in his home city of Vancouver, his vacation place in Palm Springs or, during his visits to his home town of Toronto.
Al's business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit allowed him to flourish through a lengthy and successful career. Leveraging his successful sales careers in corporate entities, he ventured out on his own and built what is today a highly successful dental advisory business. Al will be remembered and admired for his integrity, collaborative nature and authenticity.
An avid tennis player, Al spent many years enjoying his time at the courts at Stanley Park and the Jericho Tennis Club. It was there that many of his friendships began and became lifelong friendships. Al also loved to golf and spent what he described as the best years of his life in Palm Springs, wintering with his Vancouver friends.
We are so very thankful for the loving care given to Al by Mary Lou and Patrick throughout Al's final days. And we are truly appreciative of love he was shown by family members and friends as his health waned. Al we will always love you.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that you please consider a donation to St. John's Hospice in Vancouver, or, to your preferred charity.
We are saddened to share the news of the recent passing of Michael Chilibeck, a long time member of the dental supply industry in Canada.
On behalf of our members, DiAC would like to express our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Michael as they mourn his loss.
Professional resources | Member benefits | Events | Contact
© Dental Industry Association of Canada
