9
Volume1 Issue1
|
CDA
at
W
ork
Beginnings
I
n this launch edition of
CDA Essentials
, it is a
pleasure to be writing about two exciting
CDA initiatives. On February 27, CDA host-
ed the first National Oral Health Action Plan
Symposium, focusing on the issue of dispar-
ities in oral health care in Canada (see page 10).
The second initiative is
CDA Essentials
magazine,
conceived as a new way to provide dialogue
betweenCDAand thenationaldental community.
To briefly recap the National Oral Health Action
Plan Symposium, the day beganwith three pres-
entations: Dr. Peter Cooney, Canada’s Chief Dental
Officer, examined theneed for a collaborative ap-
proach todeliveringoral healthcare tovulnerable
groups; Dr. Louise Desjardins presented her dis-
cussion document providing an overview of oral
health care in Canada; andMr. Bill Tholl,
a senior healthpolicy consultant, re-
ported the findings of his consul-
tations with stakeholders, which
solicited opinions on oral health
care through a questionnaire
and face-to-face interviews. The
presentations were followed by
a seriesof discussionson theoral
health status of Canadians, facil-
itated by Mr. Sean Moore, a public
policy and advocacy advisor. After
identifying groups with an
increased risk for oral
disease,participantsex-
plored possible areas
of collaboration.
The ultimate aim of
the symposium was
to initiate the discus-
sions that would lead
to the development
of concreteactions to
promote oral health,
preventoraldiseaseand improveaccess tocare for
Canadiansmost inneed.Onmany levels, the sym-
posiumwas a success. It represented theculmina-
tionof a year of planning and the beginningof a
much longer process to sustain the conversations
started at the symposium. It was an opportunity
for CDA to engage stakeholders outside the oral
health care family in adiscussion about inequities
inoral health care and identifiedpriority areas for
futurecollaboration.
Yet, in my opinion, the symposium’s most re-
markable achievement is the diversity of voices
it brought to the discussions. Organizations that
participated at the symposium represented oral
healthcareproviders andother healthprofession-
als, academia, regulators, government and special
interest groups—eachwith their ownuniqueper-
spectiveon thechallenges inCanadianoral health
care. And it’s this diversity in thinking that will be
crucial to any future progress on this issue. Now
that my term as president is coming to an end, I
am pleased that CDA remains committed to its
role in facilitating the development of a national
oral healthcare strategy.
Another first—the inaugural issue of
CDA Essen-
tials
—is amilestone inCDA’snewcommunication
strategy. As the new official print publication of
CDA,
CDAEssentials
is dedicated to keepingden-
tists informed about news, issues and clinically
relevant information. The print
JCDA
rightfully
earned its place as a respected, peer-reviewed
journal that focused on the science andpractise
of dentistry for almost 80 years.
JCDA
will contin-
ue to fulfill this rolebutwill nowbe solely availa-
bleonlineat jcda.ca.
Ihopeyourfirst readof
CDAEssentials
is informative
andengaging, and that youfind it tobeanessen-
tial connection to thiswonderful profession.
a
PeterDoig,dmd
OnAuspicious
From thePresident
