JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
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Mobile oral Cancer screening<br />
––– News & Updates –––<br />
The B.C. Cancer Agency is launching a new mobile screening<br />
program in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) in an<br />
effort to reach out to a community most at-risk for oral<br />
cancer.<br />
Dr. Catherine Poh, outreach program leader of the B.C.<br />
Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program, explains:<br />
“One in 10,000 British Columbians is diagnosed with oral<br />
cancer annually, but the incidence rate is alarmingly higher<br />
for residents of the DTES, where 1 in 150 suffers from oral<br />
cancer.”<br />
Many residents in the DTES are at increased risk for oral<br />
cancer as a result of heavy tobacco and alcohol consumption<br />
(established risk factors for this disease), compromised im-<br />
mune function, poor nutrition and oral hygiene, and limited access to medical and dental care.<br />
“We’re taking a proactive approach and screening for oral cancer in populations of people more likely to get<br />
this cancer,” notes Mr. George Abbott, B.C. minister of health.<br />
Patients who take part in the mobile screening clinics will receive a conventional head and neck and intraoral<br />
exam, followed by an examination with a hand-held blue light device that helps detect precancerous and<br />
cancerous lesions that may not be visible to the naked eye.<br />
“We learned that a majority of residents are not used to travelling far from the area where they reside, even<br />
if it’s a short distance,” says Dr. Poh. “It was clear that we needed to create a comfortable and safe environment<br />
for them to come to get screened. The mobile screening clinic is an important addition to the community, providing<br />
access to oral cancer screening to those who do not visit the dental clinic,” she concludes. a<br />
DIAC Future of<br />
Dentistry Survey<br />
Members of the B.C. Cancer Agency at an<br />
oral cancer screening clinic in Vancouver’s<br />
Downtown Eastside.<br />
The <strong>Dental</strong> Industry <strong>Association</strong> of Canada (DIAC) announced<br />
preliminary results of the 12th annual Future<br />
of Dentistry survey, along with the names of the winning<br />
dentists who completed the survey.<br />
Among the noteworthy survey results, 12.5% of dentists spent over 250 chairside days in their practice<br />
over the past year, a significant increase from the 5.7% indicated on the 2007 survey. These figures contrast<br />
with a consistent 40% of respondents spending 150 to 199 days chairside in each of the past 2 years.<br />
The survey also found relatively constant responses regarding the average number of patients treated per<br />
day over the past 2 surveys. More than three-quarters of dentists (76.2%) treated less than 15 patients per<br />
day and approximately 20% treated 15 or more in 2007 and 2008. Overall, dentists treated 12.7 patients in an<br />
average day.<br />
Over 1,000 practising <strong>Canadian</strong> dentists responded to this year’s survey and there was good proportional<br />
distribution across all regions of the country. To reward dentists who complete the survey, DIAC randomly<br />
selects 11 <strong>Canadian</strong> practitioners to win travel vouchers.<br />
Dr. Natalie Brothers of Bedford, Nova Scotia, is this year’s grand prize winner of a $1,000 travel voucher. The<br />
10 consolation prize winners will receive $100 travel vouchers. The 10 dentists are: Dr. Caroline Campbell of<br />
Drummondville, Quebec; Dr. Monica Malhotra of Mississauga, Ontario; Dr. Sylvain Drapeau of Campbellton,<br />
New Brunswick; Dr. Felicity Hardwick of Nanaimo, B.C.; Dr. Richard Bell of Duncan, B.C., Dr. Arthi Kumar<br />
of Windsor, Ontario; Dr. Jacques Carrier of Orleans, Ontario; Dr. Adrian F. Power of Conception Bay South,<br />
Newfoundland; Dr. John Gourley of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia; and Dr. Kevin Hamm of Edmonton.<br />
Conducted by Eric P. Jones and Associates with the cooperation of <strong>JCDA</strong>, the survey is designed to help<br />
DIAC member companies tailor their product and service offerings to meet the needs of Canada’s dentist<br />
population. a<br />
<strong>JCDA</strong> • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • September 2008, Vol. 74, No. 7 • 583