November 2008 - Constituent Society Corner

Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD) Seeing Benefits from Years of Persistent Oral Health Advocacy

It is estimated that there are 18,000 small drinking water systems in Ontario. Approximately 3,600 are registered with the Ministry of the Environment…

by Ann Rusak, Constituent Society Representative on OPHA’s Board of Directors

The Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD) has spent many years raising awareness of the effect that oral health has on such issues as: a child’s growth and development, an adult’s ability to gain and maintain viable employment, and a senior’s ability to eat nutritious foods and socialize with peers. For just as long, OAPHD has advocated for improved access to oral health care services for all Ontarians.

OAPHD is pleased by the attention oral health issues have received in the past year. This attention includes:

  • the ability for Registered Dental Hygienists in Ontario to ‘self initiate’ the controlled act of scaling under conditions set by the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario and Health Canada;
  • providing 3 million dollars for the purchase of dental equipment by Ontario Public Health Units.

In particular, OAPHD is encouraged by the McGuinty government’s plan to expand the Children In Need of Treatment program and invest $135 million over three years to provide oral health services to low-income Ontarians.

Since this funding announcement, OAPHD has worked diligently on a set of recommendations for government with regard to the funding commitment. We have:

  • presented a Proposal for Improving Access to Dental Care for Low Income Residents of Ontario to the Ministers of Health and Community and Social Services; and
  • developed a report summarizing the capacity of public health units to expand their programming and work with community partners to implement a dental program for low-income Ontarians upon receipt of additional funds.

Presently, OAPHD along with a number of dental coalitions and other partners have been writing letters to government representatives, urging them to continue with its plans to implement this promised program.

The commitment made by the Ontario Government illustrates its appreciation for the complexity of the challenges faced by people with limited incomes, and an understanding of the connection between poverty and oral health.

On a related note, the new Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS) reflect the need to focus on tackling inequalities in health. With regard to the oral health program requirements, a shift has occurred, placing a stronger emphasis on health promotion programming. Ideally, this shift in philosophy will facilitate the ability of public health dental professionals to work on strategies that will tackle the determinants of oral health.

 

 

There are currently 11 Constituent Societies of OPHA. Their representatives sit on the OPHA Board of Directors, and are elected by their respective societies.