JCDA - Canadian Dental Association

––– News & Updates –––
launch of new hygiene Centre
new dental hygiene clinic opened in Toronto in July, advertising itself as an affordable and convenient alternative to
A hygiene services offered in a traditional dental office. The Independent Dental Hygiene Centre (IDHC) is located on Yonge
Street in Toronto’s midtown district, close to the Eglinton Avenue subway station.
The entrepreneurs behind this new venture are University of Toronto dentistry graduates Drs. Howard Rocket and Brian
Price — the same dentists behind the Tridont Dental Centres that opened over 100 locations across Canada in the 1980s.
During a July 7 television interview on the Business News Network’s SqueezePlay program, Drs. Rocket and Price explained
that they are looking to “evolve the Tridont concept” for the new IDHC clinics. The owners outlined their short-term plans to
open 2 additional centres near the Sheppard Avenue and King Street subway stations in Toronto. Once they have refined the
concept at these 3 locations, they plan to expand to 50 centres.
The 2 dentists say the idea for the IDHC clinics came in response to the Ontario government amending the Ontario Dental
Hygiene Act in September 2007. The Act permits dental hygienists to clean an individual’s teeth without the presence of a
dentist.
In a press release announcing the opening of the flagship location, the IDHC markets itself as “offer[ing] more affordable
services in a relaxing environment, with reduced waiting times and longer hours, including evenings and weekends, at locations
near the subway, making it easier for people to make oral health a priority.”
A former dental clinic was retrofitted for the first IDHC location. Drs. Rocket and Price note that lower overheads, such as
not having to lead-line walls for radiography purposes, are crucial in being able to offer comparable compensation to dental
hygienists while offering low prices to the public. For the opening of the first centre, the IDHC advertised a “$99 introductory
offer covering the initial assessment, cleaning, plaque removal, intraoral camera photos and polishing (up to one hour) by a
registered and licensed dental hygienist.” The company website also lists the cost of a “whitening treatment” for $149.
At the IDHC, Drs. Rocket and Price say that the hygienists will be licensed and independent, while the IDHC group will
“take care of the business side.” They want to “enable hygienists to meet their goals” by offering additional career opportunities
in a supervisory or teaching capacity. The teaching opportunities likely relate to a brief mention during the SqueezePlay
program that Drs. Rocket and Price had recently acquired a dental hygiene school. a
For more information, see www.independentdentalhygiene.com.
rCdso finalizes specialty Certificate in anesthesia
The registration process and fee schedule for the specialty Certificate in anesthesia examination were officially
finalized during a royal College of dental surgeons of ontario (rCdso) Council meeting in July. With these
remaining elements in place, the rCdso can now formally offer a specialty Certificate in dental anesthesia to
qualified dentists.
in august 2007, the ontario government passed legislation approving dental anesthesia as a dental specialty
in ontario. the government placed the responsibility for the registration of dental specialists with the rCdso.
those interested in applying for the specialty designation must first complete an application to determine
eligibility to take the specialty exam. these requirements include having a dental degree, specialty training in
dental anesthesia (with a minimum of 12 months of full-time instruction before 1986 or a minimum of 22 months
after 1986) and having completed the College’s approved specialty examination in dental anesthesia. the rCdso’s
registration Committee must also be satisfied that an applicant
possesses the knowledge, skill and judgment at least equivalent to
that of a current graduate of the specialty program in dental anesthesia
offered by the university of toronto faculty of dentistry. a
582 JCDA • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • September 2008, Vol. 74, No. 7 •
For complete details on how to apply for
this specialty in Ontario, visit the RCDSO
website at www.rcdso.org.