JCDA - Canadian Dental Association

B r i e f s
FDI Supports Fluoride Promotion
––– News & Updates –––
A study led by FDI researchers is the first to quantify the affordability of fluoride toothpaste throughout the world. 1 The study,
comparing data from 48 countries, is published in BioMed Central’s open access journal Globalization and Health.
Researchers found that the poorest populations of developing countries do not have the means to buy affordable toothpaste,
the most widely used method of preventing tooth decay. Currently, only about 12.5% of the world’s population benefits from
fluoride toothpaste.
Support for this research is part of FDI’s ongoing campaign to promote the use of appropriate fluoride for better oral health.
In 2006 and 2007, FDI, in partnership with the World Health Organization and the International Association for Dental Research,
held 2 expert consultations to discuss and analyze the impact of delivery methods and advocacy strategies related to fluoride and
oral health. Both conferences resulted in declarations that called for the promotion of oral health through fluoride.
More information about the consultations and conference declarations can be found at www.fdiworldental.org/
public_health/3_2fluoride.html. a
Reference
1. Goldman AS, Yee R, Holmgren CJ, Benzian H. Global affordability of fluoride toothpaste. Global Health 2008 Jun 13; 4:7.
University of Manitoba Students Win OSAP Contest
University of Manitoba third-year dental students Philip Kim and Jasrit Pahal were
among the winners of the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP)
“I See IC” contest. The students’ video entry, “Proper Placement of PPE,” won in the
Best Infection Control Message category.
The contest was designed to promote infection control and safety by inviting
dental professionals to create videos and photos. A DVD on infection control is being
created that will include the finalists’ entries and additional material. Winners were
picked through online voting. Founded in 1984, OSAP is dentistry’s premier resource
for infection control and safety information. To view the winning entries, visit
www.osap.org. a
Passport Guarantor Reminder
Passport Canada has implemented a new Guarantor Policy that enables most Canadian adult passport holders to act as a
guarantor. If you choose to sign a passport application as a guarantor, you will now be signing as a passport holder, not as a
member of a professional group. Choosing to act as a guarantor is voluntary. If you feel that you do not know an individual well
enough to sign a passport application, you are under no obligation to do so.
To qualify as an eligible guarantor, one must be a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older; hold a 5-year Canadian passport
that is valid or has been expired for no more than 1 year; have been 16 years of age or older when he or she applied for his or her
own passport; have known the applicant personally for at least 2 years.
Guarantors must now provide their passport number, date of issue and expiry date when signing passport applications.
Family members may act as a guarantor, as well as an individual residing at the applicant’s address, provided he or she meets
the specified requirements. However, if you are the parent or legal guardian applying for a passport for your child, you cannot act
as guarantor.
For more information, visit www.passportcanada.gc.ca. a
586 JCDA • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • September 2008, Vol. 74, No. 7 •