Objective: To investigate Ontario dentists’ perceptions of patient interest in sedation and general anesthesia (GA) during treatment and patient fear and avoidance of dental treatment. Methods: Using the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario roster, we randomly selected 3001 practising Ontario dentists, from among those who listed an email address, to complete a 16-question survey by mail or online. Demographic information (e.g., gender, size and type of primary practice, and years of experience) was collected as well as dentist reports of patient interest in sedation/GA and level of fear regarding treatment. Analysis included sample t-tests to compare Ontario dentist responses with patient responses to a 2002 national survey. Results: 1076 dentists participated (37.9% response rate), comprised of 69.7% males, 84.4% general practitioners, 0.5–42 years of practice (mean 20.6 years), and 40.6% from cities with a population larger than 500,000. Dentists underestimated patients’ interest in sedation/GA, with dentists and patients reporting patients “Not interested” as 66.8% and 43.9%, respectively, and “Interested depending on cost,” 19.8% v. 42.3%. Dentists also underestimated patient interest in sedation/GA for specific dental procedures including scaling, fillings/crowns, root canal therapy and periodontal surgery (p < 0.01). Dentists overestimated patient fear levels (“Somewhat afraid,” 19.9% v. 9.8%; “Very afraid,” 10.6% v. 2.0%; “Terrified,” 6.0% v. 3.5%) and the proportion of patients avoiding dental care (13.3% v. 7.6%). Conclusion: Dentists underestimate patients’ preference for sedation/GA and overestimate their fear and avoidance of dental care. The significant disparities between the views of dentists and patients may affect the availability and provision of sedation and general anesthesia in Ontario dental practices.
AIM: To determine the patterns of removal, replacement and placement of amalgam restorations by Ontario dentists. METHODS: A structured self-administered postal survey was sent to dentists randomly selected from the list of all dentists licensed to practise dentistry in Ontario. The questionnaire sought information on the numbers of 1-, 2-, 3- and > or = 4-surfaced amalgam restorations and core amalgam build-ups that each dentist removed, replaced and placed during a 7-day period. RESULTS: A total of 878 (44%) of 1,994 dentists responded to the survey. Most dentists (82%) who returned completed questionnaires (n = 837) had removed, replaced or placed at least one amalgam restoration during the 7-day period. Most respondents (90%) were general practitioners; respondents practised for a mean of 45.7 weeks each year and had practised for a mean of 20.1 years. On average, each dentist removed 8.91 (standard deviation [SD] 17.32) amalgam restorations during the 7-day period. However, the mean number of new amalgam restorations placed was just 6.64 (SD 18.88): 2.99 (SD 8.74) new restorations in previously unrestored teeth and 3.65 (SD 11.40) replacements of amalgam restorations removed from previously restored teeth. For the year 2002, it was estimated that the 6,915 dentists registered to practise in Ontario had removed 2,855,178 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2,484,566-3,225,790) amalgam restorations. Overall, the dentists placed 2,112,800 (95% CI 1,682,307-2,543,292) amalgam restorations; 1,163,665 (95% CI 919,204-1,408,126) to replace amalgams in previously restored teeth and 949,135 (95% CI 763,103-1,135,166) as new amalgam restorations. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of old amalgam restorations by Ontario dentists exceeds current levels of placement and replacement of amalgam restorations.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess barriers to the use of deep sedation/general anesthesia (DS/GA) identified by dentists in Ontario. METHODS: An email invitation to a web-based survey was distributed to all licensed dentists and specialists who have provided an email address to the provincial regulator (n = 5507). Descriptive and regression analyses were performed to explore practice and demographic factors associated with the use of DS/GA. RESULTS: The response rate was 18.3%. A quarter (24.8%) of respondents reported inadequate access to DS/GA. Access was poorest in rural communities and greatest in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Overall, 74.5% of dentists indicated that they had used DS/GA in the past 12 months. Use was defined as having provided the service or referred a patient in the past 12 months. Non-use was most likely among general dentists, part-time dentists, dentists > 64 years and dentists in urban locations. Wait times and travel distances were reported as longer for medically complex patients. The most common reasons for non-use of DS/GA were a lack of perceived demand and additional costs to patients. For DS/GA users, the greatest barrier was additional costs to patients. CONCLUSION: Access to DS/GA in Ontario is not uniform; it remains a challenge in rural communities and regions outside the GTA, especially in the north. Use is lowest among general dentists and urban dentists despite adequate access, with dentists' perception of need for DS/GA and cost to the patient acting as major barriers. Education for dentists and better insurance coverage for patients may improve access for these patients.
One-half of the dentists in general practice in Ontario were randomly selected for a survey in June 1992 to determine their practices and decision-making regarding some aspects of restorative dentistry. Using patient scenarios to describe clinical situations, respondents stated the threshold at which a restoration should be placed in various tooth surfaces of persons of different ages, according to the severity of the carious lesion and the usual restorative procedure for different case situations. A total of 1,276 (52 per cent) dentists responded to a detailed mail questionnaire. Data were entered into a personal computer (PC) and analyzed using frequencies and chi-square with the SPSS/PC+ statistical package. Multivariate analyses were undertaken to examine what characteristics of dentists independently explained variations in their usual restorative procedures for approximal and occlusal caries. With approximal lesions, as seen on bitewing radiographs, 60 per cent of the dentists indicated that they would place a restoration in a 12 year old with an enamel lesion that had not reached the dentino-enamel junction, whereas with 30- and 55-year-old patients, 28 and 20 per cent, respectively, would do so. At each patient age, there was a tendency for significantly younger dentists to restore enamel-only lesions more often than other dentists (p < .01). Variations in proposed treatment for an adult patient with above average oral hygiene, but with a small (1-1.5 mm diameter) occlusal cavity that had penetrated through the dentino-enamel junction, were also observed. In this case, 23 per cent of the dentists would prepare a conventional cavity extending to include all fissures, and restore the tooth with amalgam or composite; 45 per cent would prepare a cavity just larger than the outline of the lesion and restore it in the same way; 32 per cent would prepare a small cavity and place a preventive resin restoration. Significant differences in cavity design were also observed between graduates of the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario with respect to restoring approximal carious lesions. A number of the dentists' characteristics were significantly associated (p < .01) with these variations in procedures. These included the dentists' gender, year and university education and type of practice. The documentation and explanation of these large variations in restorative practices have important implications for continuing dental education.
PURPOSE: To examine the influence of gender on practice ownership among Ontario dentists. METHODS: In 2012, a 52-item survey was sent to a random sample of 3000 Ontario dentists (1500 men and 1500 women) to collect information on personal, professional and sociodemographic characteristics. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling. RESULTS: The 867 respondents included 463 men, 401 women and 3 people whose gender was unreported, yielding a response rate of 29%. Univariate regression analyses revealed that male dentists were 2.2 times more likely to be practice owners than female dentists. Dentists > 60 years were less likely to be owners than younger dentists. The odds of practice ownership were lower for dentists who preferred the ability to secure part-time work. A higher level of confidence in one's business acumen significantly predicted practice ownership. Dentists making concessions in their career to pursue family life were more likely to be associates, and those who perceived that their partners made concessions to aid in their career were more likely to be owners. In multivariate analyses, the effect of gender on practice ownership became insignificant, yet the influence of age, preference for career aspects, confidence in business skills and perceptions regarding concessions by self and partner persisted. Gender-stratified analyses revealed that familial factors significantly predicted ownership for female dentists, but not for male dentists. CONCLUSION: Gender appears to be linked to practice ownership, but when other factors are considered such as age, preference for part-time work, higher levels of confidence in business skills and perceptions of career concessions, the relationship does not remain.
OBJECTIVE: Local anesthetics are believed to be the most frequently used drugs in clinical dentistry, and although they are generally regarded as safe, some adverse reactions can be expected and do occur. The purpose of this study was to obtain, by means of a mail survey, information on the types and amounts of local anesthetics used by Ontario dentists during 2007. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey requesting data on the annual use of injectable local anesthetics was mailed to all 8,058 dentists licensed by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario in 2007. RESULTS: The effective response rate to the single mailing was 17.3% (1,395 respondents). By extrapolation, the estimated use of local anesthetics by all Ontario dentists during 2007 was determined to be about 13 million cartridges, which represents an average of 1,613 cartridges per dentist per year. Lidocaine with epinephrine 1:100,000 was the most commonly used formulation with 37.31% of total anesthetic use, followed by articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (27.04%) and articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine (17.16%). Overall, local anesthetics combined with a vasoconstrictor accounted for more than 90% of total anesthetic use. A minority of survey respondents (15.68%) indicated that their pattern of anesthetic use had changed significantly in the past few years. Patterns of use were similar for early and late survey respondents. These data provide a current account of the use of local anesthetics by Ontario dentists.
BACKGROUND: To investigate, among Ontario dentists, (1) self-reported barriers to access to sedation and general anesthesia (GA) services and (2) their current use of sedation and GA. METHODS: Of Ontario dentists practising, 3001 were randomly selected to complete a 16-question survey by mail or online in 2011. Mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by independent-sample t tests or 1-way ANOVA evaluated the relation between dentists' views and demographic variables including sex, clinical experience and size of primary practice. RESULTS: Of the participants (n = 1076; 37.9% response rate), 69.7% were male, 84.4% were general practitioners, mean time in practice was 20.6 years (0.5-42 years) and 42.2% were in cities of over 500 000 people. Most dentists (60.2%) provided anesthesia services, although 38.2% indicated lack of training and the belief that there is no patient demand (25.3%) as reasons not to use anesthesia in their offices. Nitrous oxide was used 17.5% of the time for all dental procedures except implants. Barriers to referral of patients for anesthesia services included high costs associated with sedation/GA (72.2%) and patient fear of anesthesia (33.5%). CONCLUSION: This study identified a perceived lack of patient demand, lack of dentist training, high costs of sedation/GA and patient fear of sedation/GA as primary barriers to use of sedation/GA in Ontario dental practices. The use of various anesthesia modalities is diverse, with 60.2% of dentists providing sedation/GA.
PURPOSE: To determine the influence of gender on weekly work hours of Ontario dentists. METHODS: In 2012, a 52-item survey was sent to a random sample of 3000 Ontario dentists (1500 men and 1500 women) to collect information on personal, professional and sociodemographic characteristics. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling. RESULTS: The 867 respondents included 463 men, 401 women and 3 people whose gender was unreported, yielding a response rate of 29%.Most dentists worked full-time, with men working, on average, 2 h/week longer than women. Younger dentists worked more than older dentists. Practice ownership increased weekly work hours, and men reported ownership more often than women. Canadian-trained women worked significantly fewer hours than those trained internationally. Women were more likely than men to work part time and take parental leave and more often reported being primary caregivers and solely responsible for household chores. Women with partner support for such tasks worked more hours than those who were solely responsible. Dentists with children ≤ 3 years of age worked fewer hours than those without children; however, after controlling for spousal responsibility for caregiver duties, this effect was eliminated. More women than men reported making concessions in their career to devote time to family. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, practice ownership, training location and degree of spousal support for household and caregiving responsibilities were predictors of weekly work hours. For women specifically, training location and household and caregiving responsibilities predicted weekly work hours.
Social media have emerged as valuable tools for dentists to connect with patients; however, their misuse may adversely affect the patient-dentist relationship. Given the trend toward commercialized, cosmetically oriented values within the general population, this study examined how dentists use the LinkedIn social network to promote themselves as cosmetic dentists. It also assessed whether dentists' social media practices align with the professional and ethical obligations of dentistry's social contract, given that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. A cross-sectional, convenience sampling method was used to retrieve LinkedIn profiles of dentists from 6 Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Profiles were screened for the term "cosmetic" in the headline, position title and/or company name fields to determine whether dentists promoted themselves as cosmetic dentists or appropriately represented themselves as dentists with skills in cosmetic dentistry. A total of 896 dentists had LinkedIn profiles, of whom 612 were registered with their respective dental regulatory authorities and were eligible for screening, after which 527 profiles were subjected to content analysis. Overall, 469 (89%) of the 527 profiles included in the content analysis did not misrepresent their credentials. Ontario dentists had the highest frequency of misrepresentation, followed by British Columbia and Nova Scotia; for all 3 provinces, misrepresentation was most prevalent in LinkedIn headlines. Profiles of dentists in the other 3 Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island) had no mentions of the term "cosmetic." No significant relationship was found between the province of practice and the distribution of misrepresentation across the different sections of the LinkedIn profile (p = 0.84). These findings offer insight into the potential of social media to jeopardize dentistry's social contract and highlight the importance of professionalism as dentistry evolves.
AIM: To estimate the quantity of dental amalgam that Ontario dentists release into waste water. METHODS: Information from a self-administered postal survey of Ontario dentists was combined with the results of other experiments on the weight of amalgam restorations and the quantity of amalgam waste that bypasses solids separators in dental offices. Algorithms were developed to compute the quantity of amalgam waste leaving dental offices when dentists used or did not use ISO 11143 amalgam particle separators. RESULTS: A total of 878 (44.0%) of 1,994 sampled dentists responded to the survey. It was estimated that Ontario dentists removed 1,880.32 kg of amalgam (940.16 kg of mercury) during 2002, of which 1,128.19 kg of amalgam (564.10 kg of mercury) would have been released into waste water in Ontario if no dentists had been using a separator. Approximately 22% of the dentists reported using amalgam particle separators. On the basis of current use of amalgam separators, it was estimated that 861.78 kg of amalgam (430.89 kg of mercury or 170.72 mg per dentist daily) was released in 2002. The use of amalgam separators by all dentists could reduce the quantity of amalgam (and mercury) entering waste water to an estimated 12.41 kg (6.21 kg of mercury, or 2.46 mg per dentist per day). CONCLUSION: Amalgam particles separators can dramatically reduce amalgam and mercury loading in waste water released from dental offices.
Regular dental visits are crucial for maintaining optimal oral health, yet adequate access to oral healthcare services remains a significant challenge for refugee populations, including resettled Syrian refugees in Ontario. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with visiting the dentist only for emergency care among resettled Syrian refugee parents in Ontario. A cross-sectional study of 540 Syrian refugee parents, who had resided in Ontario for an average of four years and had at least one child less than 18 years of age, was conducted from March 2021 to March 2022. Information about visiting the dentist only for emergency reasons was gathered through the question, "How often do you usually visit the dentist?" Respondents who indicated that they visit the dentist only for emergency care were categorized as "yes." Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between each of the sociodemographic-, migration-, and health-related factors with the primary outcome of visiting the dentist only for emergency. 73% of respondents reported visiting the dentist only for emergencies. Factors associated with emergency dental visits included dental insurance, number of children, and self-rated oral health. Individuals without dental insurance, higher number of children, and poorer self-rated oral health were more likely to seek emergency dental care. These findings highlight the barriers to regular dental visits among Syrian refugees in Ontario and underscore the need for more inclusive and accessible dental care services for such vulnerable population to enhance their oral health outcomes.
This study assessed the use of pit and fissure sealants by Ontario dentists, as well as variations in the knowledge and practices of this population with respect to certain aspects of the preventive technique. A mail questionnaire on dental practices and knowledge was answered by 1,276 general dentists in Ontario. Most dentists (90 per cent) provided sealants to their patients, and reported using sealants on an average of 45 per cent of their patients between the ages of six and 16 years. While most dentists knew that sealants have been proven effective in preventing caries (90 per cent), many incorrectly believed that sealants are cost-effective to apply to both primary molars and permanent premolars (40 per cent and 68 per cent respectively). Bivariate analyses showed that many of the reported characteristics are statistically significant. The variables that were consistently associated with sealant use include: knowledge of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of sealants; year of graduation from dental school; level of dental hygienist employment; and continuing education participation. Although multivariate analyses identified many of these variables as statistically significant, only a moderate amount of the variation in sealant use for patients aged six to 16 was explained (R2 = 0.22). Due to misinformation about the cost-effectiveness of sealants, some dentists may overuse them in certain instances. Conversely, misinformation about the effectiveness of sealants and the risk of further decay after sealant placement has resulted in some dentists under-utilizing them. Continuing education courses are needed to update dentists' knowledge and beliefs regarding dental sealants. In addition, dentistry's professional bodies should develop clinical practice guidelines to aid dentists in their treatment planning decisions.
BACKGROUND: In Canada, although the incidence of smoking-related oral cavity cancers has decreased, oropharyngeal cancers associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) are on the rise. During their routine interactions with patients, dentists have the opportunity to intervene. This study was conducted to assess dentists' capacity to prevent and detect oral cancers and to identify the barriers and facilitators that affect this capacity. METHODS: A 25-item, self-administered questionnaire was emailed to Ontario dentists through their regulatory body. It aimed to assess their perceptions about various aspects of oral cancer prevention and detection, including their knowledge, attitudes and practices. A binary logistic regression model was constructed for each modifiable risk factor (smoking, alcohol use, HPV) to identify the predictors of dentists' readiness to discuss with patients the connection between risk factors and oral cancers. RESULTS: Of the 9975 dentists contacted, 932 completed the survey. Most respondents (92.4%) believed that they are adequately trained to recognize the early signs and symptoms of oral cancer. However, only 35.4% of respondents said that they are adequately trained to obtain biopsy samples from suspected lesions. In addition, only a small proportion (< 40%) of the dentists believed that they are adequately trained to address relevant risk factors. Compared with dentists who said that they are adequately trained and currently assess a given risk factor, the odds of discussing the risk factor were consistently and significantly lower among those who said that they are inadequately trained (OR: smoking 0.11, alcohol 0.52, HPV 0.36) and among those who do not currently assess that risk factor (OR: smoking 0.12, alcohol 0.22, HPV 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the capacity of Ontario dentists to detect and prevent oral cancers is limited by lack of training in using oral cancer screening tools and addressing risk factors. To mitigate this barrier, dentists' capacity could be enhanced by improving their training in detecting oral cancers and their readiness to assess and address the risk factors.
To examine mouthguard usage, hygiene practices, and oral health status of youth ice hockey players in Ontario. Cross-sectional survey study. Ontario, Canada; recruitment conducted online in collaboration with the Ontario Minor Hockey Association. Youth ice hockey players in Ontario who reported mouthguard use. Participants voluntarily completed an anonymous online questionnaire administered using REDCap. Frequency and consistency of mouthguard use, mouthguard cleaning practices, receipt of hygiene instructions, oral hygiene behaviors, and self-reported caries experience and oral health status. Complete responses were obtained from 214 players using mouthguards. Approximately 47% reported wearing mouthguards during both games and practices, with majority (59%) wearing boil-and-bite type. Among custom mouthguard users, 64% reported never receiving care instructions from a dentist, whereas 29% of stock or boil-and-bite users reported no manufacturer guidance. Overall, 52% reported cleaning their mouthguards, and 38% of these did so after every game or practice. Most participants brushed twice daily (71%), whereas fewer flossed daily (28%). Consistent mouthguard use was associated with significantly lower odds of self-reported caries (OR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.28-0.85). Higher motivation toward oral health was associated with positive self-rated oral health (OR = 3.45; 95% CI: 1.20-9.97). Youth ice hockey players in Ontario demonstrated inconsistent mouthguard use and suboptimal hygiene practices, compounded by limited guidance from dental professionals and manufacturers. Improved education, clinical engagement, and policy initiatives are needed to enhance mouthguard effectiveness and oral health outcomes among youth athletes.
Tele-dentistry can be useful for dental caries screening of children, especially in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of mobile phone photographs taken by a community health worker (CHW) for caries detection in Iran. Children aged 6-12 years were visually examined by a paediatric dentist. Following dental examinations, intraoral photographs were taken by a trained CHW. Two remote dentists assessed intraoral photographs for dental caries. Diagnostic accuracy of tele-dentistry for caries detection was evaluated. In addition, the questionnaire about oral health and parents' views towards tele-dentistry was prepared. One hundred thirty-one children aged 8.74 ± 1.62 years participated. The caries prevalence was 30% for the whole dentition. Tele-dentistry demonstrated high accuracy, with a sensitivity exceeding 80% and specificity exceeding 90%. The inter-rater reliability for remote dentists' assessments to the gold standard dental examination ranged from substantial to almost perfect (kappa: 75%-93%). Additionally, 80% of parents whose children participated in this study had positive views towards tele-dentistry. Tele-dentistry was shown to be an alternative approach to clinical examinations for caries detection among school children. Employing non-dental care professionals in tele-dentistry has been emerged as a reliable and cost-effective approach, especially in LMICs.
Dentists serve a crucial role in managing treatment complications for patients with head and neck cancer, including post-radiation caries and oral infection. To date, dental services for head and neck cancer patients in Ontario, Canada have not been well characterized and considerable disparities in allocation, availability, and funding are thought to exist. The current study aims to describe and assess the provision of dental services for head and neck cancer patients in Ontario. A mixed methods scoping assessment was conducted. A purposive sample of dentist-in-chiefs at each of Ontario's 9 designated head and neck cancer centres (tertiary centres which meet provincially-set quality and safety standards) was invited to participate. Participants completed a 36-item online survey and 60-minute semi-structured interview which explored perceptions of dental services for head and neck cancer patients at their respective centres, including strengths, gaps, and inequities. If a centre did not have a dentist-in-chief, an alternative stakeholder who was knowledgeable on that centre's dental services participated instead. Thematic analysis of the interview data was completed using a mixed deductive-inductive approach. Survey questionnaires were completed at 7 of 9 designated centres. A publicly funded dental clinic was present at 5 centres, but only 2 centres provided automatic dental assessment for all patients. Survey data from 2 centres were not captured due to these centres' lack of active dental services. Qualitative interviews were conducted at 9 of 9 designated centres and elicited 3 themes: (1) lack of financial resources; (2) heterogeneity in dentistry care provision; and (3) gaps in the continuity of care. Participants noted concerning under-resourcing and limitations/restrictions in funding for dental services across Ontario, resulting in worse health outcomes for vulnerable patients. Extensive advocacy efforts by champions of dental services who have sought to mitigate current disparities in dentistry care were also described. Inequities exist in the provision of dental services for head and neck cancer patients in Ontario. Data from the current study will broaden the foundation for evidence-based decision-making on the allocation and funding of dental services by government health care agencies.
A mail survey to obtain data on the annual use of local anesthetics in dentistry was sent to each of the 6,271 certified dentists in Ontario in 1993. The survey asked dentists to identify the different types and total amounts of local anesthetics used in their practice yearly. A total of 2,426 dentists responded to the survey. Based on extrapolation of the data collected, it is estimated that more than 11,000,000 cartridges of local anesthetic are administered annually by dentists in Ontario. The distribution of use of specific types of local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors was also determined. Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine accounted for 23.4 per cent of all cartridges used, followed by articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (19.9 per cent), articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine (17.9 per cent), prilocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (16.4 per cent), mepivacaine with 1:20,000 levonordefrin (6.4 per cent), and mepivacaine plain (6.3 per cent). Other anesthetics were used to a lesser degree. Further analysis revealed no statistically-significant differences in the use of local anesthetics among dentists who responded to the survey and non-responders. The results of this survey document the current use of local anesthetics in dentistry.
The objective of this study was to determine the involvement of Ontario's general and pediatric dentists in providing care to patients with special health care needs (PSHCNs). A questionnaire was developed and sent to a randomly selected sample of general dentists and to all pediatric dentists in Ontario; response rates were 52% and 90%, respectively. Most general dentists and all pediatric dentists reported that they provided a full range of dental services to PSHCNs. Most (80%) general dentists treat PSHCNs of all ages, whereas 60% of pediatric dentists report only treating PSHCNs up to the age of 18 years. A majority of both groups report treating PSHCNs whose dental care is paid through various government-funded programs. Most general dentists received training in the treatment of PSHCNs in undergraduate dental school, and 40% reported taking continuing education courses in this area. Most pediatric dentists received this training during their advanced dental specialty training, and 29% reported taking continuing education courses in this area. The results of this survey appear to demonstrate that general and pediatric dentists in Ontario provide a full range of dental services to PSHCNs, treat patients with a variety of disabilities and of all ages and are interested in pursuing continuing education that focuses on the delivery of dental care to PSHCNs. However, the results may be inaccurate because of question design flaws and responder bias among the 52% of surveyed general dentists who returned their questionnaires.
Dentists experience barriers of applying knowledge at point of care. In recent years, integrated knowledge translation (IKT) efforts, such as dental practice research networks, have been established in the US and other countries to overcome the potential barriers to dental clinicians being involved in research. In Canada, there is no formal network. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of dental clinicians and academics in building a network in Ontario that would encourage research collaboration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from dental clinicians and academics in Ontario dental schools. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto and Schulich School of Dentistry at Western University. Interviews were conducted via Zoom meetings between July and November 2023. Interviews were recorded, de-identified, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Strategies to promote rigour were applied throughout the research process. Twenty-six interviews were conducted (twelve dental clinicians and fourteen academics). Most participants described a divide impacting many aspects of oral health research. This divide appeared to be originating from historical cultural norms rooted in the development of organized dentistry in Ontario, current financial strains faced by dentists, and misalignment of values that resulted in miscommunications between dental clinicians and academics. Despite the divide, there appeared to be a strong desire among participants to "bridge the divide". Suggestions included starting a small network of interested individuals, enforcing existing collaborations within the universities, identifying champions in organized dentistry to advocate for establishing a formal network in Ontario, and exploring opportunities to support such a network in Canada. Despite the divide between dental clinicians and academics in oral health research, there appeared to be a strong desire to bridge the divide. This study is novel in that it reports dental clinicians' and academics' perceptions and experiences with IKT partnerships in dentistry. We offer recommendations for oral health professional leaders to build a new network.
This study aims to determine the reasons for disciplinary action, the consequences and any associations with demographic factors for Canadian dentists. Publicly available regulatory body disciplinary action cases from 10 Canadian provinces were coded. Demographic factors were also coded. There were 344 dentist cases from five provinces between January 2010 and December 2020. The rate of disciplinary action was low (1.38 cases/1,000 practitioners/year). Clinical incompetence was the most common category of disciplinary action, followed by professional misconduct and dishonest business practices. Male dentists were overrepresented in the disciplinary action cases compared to the rest of the workforce. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to describe the outcomes of regulatory body disciplinary action for Canadian dentists. Cette étude vise à déterminer les raisons pour lesquelles sont prises des mesures disciplinaires envers les dentistes canadiens et les conséquences qui en résultent ainsi que toute association avec des facteurs démographiques. Les cas, publiquement accessibles, de sanctions disciplinaires d'organismes de réglementation de 10 provinces canadiennes ont été codés. Les facteurs démographiques ont également été codés. Il y a eu 344 cas de sanctions disciplinaires envers des dentistes provenant de cinq provinces entre janvier 2010 et décembre 2020. Le taux de mesures disciplinaires est faible (1,38 cas/1 000 dentistes/an). L'incompétence clinique constitue la catégorie la plus courante liée aux mesures disciplinaires, suivie des fautes professionnelles et des pratiques commerciales malhonnêtes. Les hommes dentistes sont surreprésentés dans les cas de mesures discipli­naires par rapport au reste de la main-d'oeuvre. Cette étude est la première, à notre connaissance, à décrire les résultats des mesures disciplinaires prises par les organismes de réglementation à l'encontre des dentistes canadiens.