Media Room

Dentists work in the highest-risk area of the body and should be vaccinated in group 2-C along with family doctors.

Edmonton – The Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C) encourages Alberta Health to include dental professionals in Phase 2C of vaccine rollout.

The ADA&C supports Alberta Health’s COVID-19 vaccine program and understands the phases so people most at risk get vaccinated first. But we strongly believe oral health professionals should be included in phase 2C, along with other health care professionals, for these reasons:

• Dental care is an essential service
• Dental professionals provide aerosol-generating dental procedures to patients who cannot wear a mask during treatment
• Dental treatment is predominantly outside a hospital setting
• Alberta dental practices have the highest standards for Infection Prevention and Control, and although there have been no transmissions of the virus between patient and dental staff, earlier access to vaccines will ensure dental offices remain safe for both patients and staff

The ADA&C strongly recommends that dental professionals be included in Phase 2C. We need to ensure all dental professionals remain safe in our ongoing commitment to provide dental care to our most at-risk patients and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Alberta’s Dentists encourage the Government of Alberta to consider dentists in the vaccine deployment plan

March 1, 2021

Dentists safely administer injections several times a day as a regular part of their practice and can competently support the government’s immunization effort.

Edmonton – The Alberta Dental Association and College encourages the Government of Alberta to consider dentists in the vaccine deployment plan when more vaccine becomes readily available for distribution.

On February 24, 2021 British Columbia Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, announced that members of several regulated and unregulated health professions including dentists, midwives, retired nurses, and dental hygienists will be authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Dentists of Alberta operate in clinics across the entire province and are well prepared and willing to provide the vaccine when it becomes more widely available.” Dr. Bruce Yaholnitsky, President, Alberta Dental Association and College.

Alberta Dentists have the skill set and the knowledge required to be a part of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. When more vaccine becomes readily available for distribution, and we need to get as many needles in as many arms as quickly as possible, dentist want to be a part of the solution.

Dentists are experts in infection control and provision of injections, and safely administer injections several times a day as a regular part of their practice. Dentists can competently support the government’s immunization effort, as seen in other provinces across the country.

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Alberta’s Dentists should be considered in list of providers of the COVID-19 vaccine

February 5, 2021

Alberta’s oral health care providers continue to do everything they can to ensure dental offices are safe for patients and staff.

Edmonton – The Alberta Dental Association and College supports the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association working together to examine opportunities to incorporate a role for community physician offices that are able to participate in the vaccine deployment plan when more vaccine becomes readily available for distribution.

Dentists are experts in infection control and provision of injections, and could assist is the vaccine deployment plan when more vaccine becomes readily available for distribution, similar to dentists in other provinces.

“Dentists of Alberta operate in clinics across the entire province and are well prepared and willing to provide the vaccine when it becomes more widely available.” Dr. Bruce Yaholnitsky, President, Alberta Dental Association and College.

Dentist would be a very viable group to help with the vaccine roll-out.

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Effective immediately there is a mandatory suspension of all non-emergency dental treatment and services.

March 17, 2020

Effective immediately there is a mandatory suspension of all non-emergency dental treatment and services.

Dentists may continue to provide emergency treatment as outlined in this message.

Emergency dental treatment may include treatment of oral-facial trauma, significant infection, prolonged bleeding or pain which cannot be managed by over-the-counter medications.

“Dentists in Alberta have a duty to prevent exposure to an infection from COVID-19,” says Dr. Troy Basarab, President, Alberta Dental Association and College. “However, it is appropriate to provide needed care that if left untreated becomes a more significant burden on our health care resources and significantly compromises patient health.”

Dentists who are providing emergency care must perform a thorough pre-treatment risk assessment that includes risk to the patient, to the oral health care provider and to the greater community before any treatment is undertaken. Dentists in Alberta have a duty to prevent exposure to an infection from COVID-19. If risks are identified that cannot be immediately or succinctly mitigated, the determined care must be postponed or they will be referred to an available provider.

Care provided must be compliant with existing ADA&C Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Standards and guidance or the treatment must cease. Alberta has maintained an Infection Prevention standard that is amongst the highest in the world. A standard that centers around universal precautions.

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AHS notifies public of improper dental sterilization practices at two Calgary businesses

CALGARY – Alberta Health Services (AHS) has confirmed a Calgary-based independent dental hygiene practice and a dental office had sterilization practices that did not meet provincial standards.

Although the risk of transmission of infection is considered very low, AHS encourages anyone who received dental services at the locations listed below, and during the specified time periods, to visit their family physician for testing for hepatitis B and C. Individuals may also call Health Link at 811 for more information.

“To prevent the spread of infection from one person to another, equipment used in dental procedures must be cleaned, disinfected and sterilized according to health standards,” says
Dr. Jia Hu, Medical Officer of Health, AHS Calgary Zone. “Although these businesses had sterilization and sanitation processes in place, they did not fully meet the provincial standards, meaning individuals who received dental services through these operations may have been exposed to hepatitis B and C.”

Canavina Dental Hygiene Clinic:
311 Taravista St. N.E. from Aug. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2018
7196 California Blvd N.E. from May 1, 2018, to Feb. 15, 2019
*Note this home-based practice is no longer in operation

Radisson Dental Centre:
107 – 575 28 St. S.E. from April 28, 2012 to May 13, 2019
*Note this practice has corrected its sterilization procedures and there is no longer any increased risk

AHS has not confirmed any cases of illness associated with inadequate sterilization processes at these practices at this time. AHS has issued this Health Advisory out of an abundance of caution.

“The Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C) has very robust standards of practice regarding Infection, Prevention and Control,” says Dr. Randall Croutze, CEO, Alberta Dental Association and College. “Although the risk of infection is very low, the ADA&C supports AHS’ recommendation for testing as a precaution.”

“Our College and our registrants are committed to the highest standards of infection prevention and control,” says Dale Cooney, Acting Registrar of the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta (CRDHA). “In relation to this matter, an investigation is ongoing and based on our inspections of independent dental hygiene practices across the province, we believe this to be an isolated incident.”

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

For media inquiries, contact:

Bruce Conway
AHS Communications
403-815-3754

Sarah Van Tassel
Communications, ADA&C
780-432-1012

Judy Clarke
Deputy Registrar
CRDHA
780-465-1756
1-877-465-1756

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