Learn more about the Indigenous Dental Association of Canada at: www.idac.agency Indigenous Dental Association of Canada The Indigenous Dental Association of Canada (IDAC) brings together the Indigenous dental community to support its vision of reconciliation. It provides Indigenous dental professionals with a community through which they can share resources, knowledge and experiences,while supporting approaches to oral health rooted in traditional ways of knowing. The association’s Indigenous Oral Health Knowledge Transfer Project will create tools and resources for communities to improve oral health. It will include a multimedia project to raise awareness about oral health care and services in Indigenous communities. As well, it will bridge cultural understanding and combat racial biases in oral health care. “Importantly, while IDAC endeavours to support oral health providers, researchers, and affiliates to move forward on our reconciliation journey, our priority is to create a culturally safe community for Indigenous oral health providers, Indigenous students interested in the oral health profession, and Indigenous communities,” says Dr. McKinstry. IDAC’swork contributes tosafer,culturally-informeddental services for Indigenous Peoples, while also creating a network of Indigenous dental professionals from across the country. A $1 million grant from Indigenous Services Canada is supporting IDAC’s work for the next two years. In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada committed to take action to foster health systems free from racism and discrimination where Indigenous Peoples are respected and safe. “This is part of the larger work that must be done to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have access to safe and culturally sensitive health care, free from racism and discrimination,” says the Honourable Patty Hajdu, minister of Indigenous Services Canada. “I commend the work and advocacy that lead to the creation of IDAC, and I look forward to following the progress ahead.” 27 Issue 1 | 2023 | Issues and People
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