JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
JCDA - Canadian Dental Association
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News<br />
& UPDATES<br />
CDA Wrestles with Education Issues<br />
Are-examination of the current models of dental<br />
education in Canada was one of the more radical<br />
recommendations proposed in a recent CDA discussion<br />
paper on the future of dental education.<br />
The current crisis in dental education continues<br />
to play a prominent role in CDA’s high-level discussions.<br />
At the CDA Board of Directors meeting in<br />
February, the results of the paper were presented<br />
and discussions focused on how CDA can address<br />
education issues such as the funding of the faculties<br />
of dentistry, tuition costs and academic shortages.<br />
To help answer the education question, CDA con-<br />
CDA Board members involved with the Mega Issue Working Group vened a Mega Issue Working Group, chaired by CDA<br />
(l. to r.): Dr. Peter Doig of Dauphin, Manitoba; Dr. Deborah Stymiest Board member Dr. John A. (Jack) Scott. The working<br />
of Fredericton, New Brunswick; and Dr. John A. (Jack) Scott of group sought input from the deans of the 10 facul-<br />
Edmonton, Alberta, chair of the working group.<br />
ties of dentistry, as well as representatives from the<br />
<strong>Canadian</strong> <strong>Dental</strong> Regulatory Authorities Federation<br />
(CDRAF) and various CDA committees, including the Government Relations and Public Advocacy Committee, the<br />
Committee on <strong>Dental</strong> Academia, the Council on Education, the Committee on Specialists Affairs and the<br />
Committee on Student Affairs.<br />
The current crisis in education materialized when government funding for post-secondary education<br />
decreased. This forced dental schools to raise tuition and resulted in high student debt loads. Faced with significant<br />
financial concerns upon graduation, fewer dentists now choose to return to the university setting to pursue<br />
a teaching or academic career.<br />
Such realities were exposed when CDA conducted a self-reported study at the University of Saskatchewan.<br />
This informal survey revealed that on average, fourth-year dental students carried bank-administered credit line<br />
debts of approximately $94,000 and government-administered loan debts of approximately $80,000. These<br />
same students expected to carry, on average, a total debt from all sources of $154,000 upon graduation. These<br />
levels of student debt will likely affect future professional decisions in terms of the location and type of practice<br />
that new graduates will pursue.<br />
CDA’s Committee on <strong>Dental</strong> Academia will be asked to move forward and consider the recommendations<br />
from the discussion paper. One of the recommendations was to research, develop and present at least 2 new<br />
“templates” or models for dental education which could consider private dental education or cooperative<br />
arrangements among dental schools. C<br />
Don’t Play Games With Your Health<br />
CDA recently distributed a public awareness promotional tent card to member<br />
dentists as part of its National Oral Health Month activities. CDA invited the<br />
provincial dental associations to participate in developing this in-office resource,<br />
which reinforces the importance of oral health in relation to overall health and<br />
promotes the primacy of the dentist with an emphasis on seniors’ oral health.<br />
Participating associations included their corporate logo on the cards.<br />
The ‘crossword puzzle’ graphic is also available in poster format. To request<br />
a poster or tent card, contact CDA at 1-800-267-6354 or by email at<br />
posters@cda-adc.ca. C<br />
<strong>JCDA</strong> • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • May 2006, Vol. 72, No. 4 • 291