July 26, 2022 – Ottawa, ON: This year marks the Canadian Dental Association’s (CDA) Seal’s 50th anniversary. If an oral health product has the CDA Seal on its packaging, then dentists and patients can trust that a CDA committee of dentists has verified that claims listed in a product’s Seal statement are scientifically supported to deliver the results claimed by a manufacturer.
“As a dentist who has worked on the CDA Seal program for more than two decades, I’ve seen the positive impact that the CDA Seal has on the oral health of Canadians,” says Dr. Benoit Soucy, chief knowledge officer at the CDA. “The CDA Seal provides helpful information for consumers to make informed choices about which oral health care products to choose.”
For half a century, the CDA Seal, with its signature maple leaf, has reassured the public that products will improve their oral health and meet the rigorous standards of CDA. First introduced in 1972, the CDA Seal was part of a public education program when fluoridated toothpastes were new on the market. Toothpaste without fluoride didn’t have any therapeutic oral health benefits, and after extensive studies, data showed that fluoridated toothpaste helped to prevent cavities.
“Today, the CDA Seal also plays an important role in the daily interactions dentists and their teams have with patients,” says Dr. Lynn Tomkins, President of the CDA. “The CDA Seal is an extension of CDA, which is a nationally and internationally recognized brand that is trusted by the dental profession. With a variety of oral health care products available on the market, the CDA Seal helps dental professionals make informed product recommendations so that patients are sure to meet their individual oral health needs and goals.”
To obtain the CDA Seal for a product, manufacturers are required to state the oral health benefit(s) that they wish to have validated by CDA, and they must submit evidence to support these claims. Examples of claims include cavity protection, fighting gingivitis, whitening, and more. Product claims, supporting evidence and additional materials are then reviewed by a CDA committee of dentists.
“Not all oral health benefit claim requests submitted for the CDA Seal meet our rigorous requirements,” adds Dr. Soucy. “The bottom line is, when wondering about which oral health product to choose, or if you are in doubt about whether claims made on a product are genuine, just look for products that have the CDA Seal because any claim listed in that Seal Statement are going to deliver results.”
The CDA Seal can be found on a range of oral health products including manual and electric toothbrushes, floss, mouthwashes and rinses, water flossers, and toothpaste. To learn more about the CDA Seal program, including the submission process for manufacturers, please visit cda-adc.ca/seal. Download the CDA Seal 50th anniversary poster collection.
About the Canadian Dental Association
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is the national voice for dentistry dedicated to the promotion of optimal oral health, an essential component of general health, and to the advancement and leadership of a unified profession. CDA, a non-regulatory authority, is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization whose corporate members are Canada's provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs). CDA represents over 21,000 practising dentists from coast to coast to coast.
Media Contact:
Zelda Burt
Head of Communications
Canadian Dental Association
613-523-7963
media@cda-adc.ca
