Report on Oral Health from Chief Medical Officer of Health

Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Arlene King has released her 28-page report on oral health, Oral Health – More Than Just Cavities, to draw more attention to the importance of oral health and prompt a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of current publicly funded programs within the current fiscal framework.

The report also includes a discussion of “the irrefutable economic argument in support of community water fluoridation.” As Dr. King states: “the improvements to oral health in Ontario as a result of our publicly funded oral health programs…would be undermined by the removal of fluoridation from the water supply.” In fact, her first recommendation is a review of policies and mechanisms to ensure that all Ontarians have access to optimally fluoridated drinking water.

The other recommendations are for a review of how publicly-funded oral health programs and services for Ontarians are monitored and evaluated, an exploration of opportunities for better integration and/or alignment of low-income oral health services in the province and how they might integrate with the rest of the health care system, and an exploration of opportunities to improve access to and awareness of oral health services for First Nations people in Ontario.

Click here to access the reportDental CT Scan forms available on College website
As of April 2, 2012, it is possible for all Ontario dentists, with the required education and training, to apply to the College to prescribe order and take dental CT scans, and to install and operate a dental CT scanner.

All dentists who wish to prescribe, order and take dental CT scans must register with the College as a prescribing dentist. This includes all dentists who are specialists in oral and maxillofacial radiology and all dentists who practise in hospital dental departments. Every dental facility where a dental CT scanner is installed and operated must have a facility permit issued by the College.

Click here to read more

New Guidelines for Electronic Records Management
At its March 8, 2012 meeting, Council approved new Guidelines for Electronic Records Management. The final document incorporates changes that were made in response to comments and suggestions submitted by members and key stakeholders following circulation of the draft document in January 2011.

The guidelines provide detailed recommendations and best practices about the manner in which electronic records should be created and managed, rather than the actual content of dental records for a patient. This is a stand-alone document, with the intention that it should complement the Guidelines on Dental Recordkeeping and expand on this distinct issue.

Click here to read the Guidelines for Electronic Records Management

Council Highlights - March 8, 2012 Meeting
Council Highlights is e-mailed out to members and posted online on the College’s website within two working days after each Council meeting. We welcome your feedback. If you have questions about any of these items, please contact RCDSO Registrar Irwin Fefergrad at 416-934-5625, toll-free at 1-800-565-4591, or by e-mail at ifefergrad@rcdso.org.

Click here to read Council Highlights