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Volume3 Issue5
CDA
at
W
ork
CDA recentlycommissioned research
togauge thepopulation’s awareness
of sugar consumptionandoral health.
Thevastmajority (87%) of respondents
mentioned supportingwarning labels
on foods andbeverageswithhigh
sugar content. “Better informationon
sugar content inprocessed food is likely
to lead tobetter healthdecisions. CDA
will continue toadvocateonbehalf
of theCanadianpopulation, together
with like-mindedorganizations, to
see suchchangeshappen,” promises
Dr. Raddall. Inaddition to improved
iterationsof Canada’s FoodGuide
andnutrition labelling regulations,
CDA supportedmeasures to restrict
marketingof foodandbeverageswith
added sugar tochildren, similar to the
QuebecConsumer ProtectionAct
whichprohibits advertisingdirectedat
childrenunder theageof 13.
Changes toSmallBusiness
TaxRate
Many small businessowners—
includingphysicians, lawyers and
dentists—tooknoteof PrimeMinister
JustinTrudeau’s electionpromise to
review theeligibility rules for the small
business tax rate.
TheCDAdelegates explained toMPs
that dentists arefirst and foremost
healthcareproviders, focusedon the
oral healthof their patients. Yet dentists
recognize that theyneed toorganize
their offices as efficient businesses
if theyare toprovide that care. “We
wanted toexplain toparliamentarians
what theCanadian-ControlledPrivate
Corporation (CCPC) status represents
for dentists,” saysDr. Croutze. Thiswas
echoedbyDr. Raddall: “Most of us are
self-employed small businessowners,
meaning thatweemploy staffand
runabusiness inaddition toproviding
oral healthcare. Wewanted to
emphasize that dentists incur significant
startupcosts andongoingfinancial
responsibilities just likeanyother small
businessowner.”
TheCDAdelegationalsohighlighted
thecontributionof dental practices
to theCanadian labourmarket and
economy. “Direct employment indental
practices is estimated tobemore than
80,000, thevastmajorityofwhom
are skilledand trainedprofessionals,”
explainsDr. Croutze, “not tomention
theeconomic spin-off to thedental and
medical supply industry—virtuallyall of
our purchasing isdone inCanada from
Canadian suppliers.”
CDA representativesdiscussed the2017
federal budgetwith theHonorable
WayneEaster, chair of theHouseof
Commons FinanceCommittee. They
recommended that any reviewof the
tax system, especiallyone thatwould
alter theCCPC framework, onlybe
undertakenafter acomprehensive
consultationwithbusinesses and
professionalswhowouldbeaffected,
includingdentists.Mr. Easter indicated
thatmostmembersof thecommittee
are supportiveof thecurrent
regulations regarding small business tax
obligations, andheencouragedCDA
to submit apre-budget submission to
thecommitteewith recommendations
onhow toachievebetter economic
growth.
HealthCare forSyrian
Refugees
The recent arrival of a largenumber
of Syrian refugeeshasput the Interim
Federal HealthProgram (IFHP) under
considerable strain, and theprogram’s
shortcomingsquicklybecameevident.
The limitedmanner inwhichoral
health is coveredunder the IFHP
creates challenges for patients andcare
providers alike. “Thewindowof services
offeredvia the IFHP is toonarrow to
appropriately treat thesepatients,” says
Dr. Raddall. “Theprogram limitations are
not in linewithacceptedbest practices
of care. Incasesof advancedoral
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