Ontario Dental Association Asks New Canadians to Choose Their Dentist
Carefully

TORONTO, June 22 /CNW/ - Choose a regulated dentist to protect your oral health. That's the message to new Canadians from the Ontario Dental Association on this year's Canada Day.

"Choosing a qualified dentist is an important first step when arriving in Canada," said Dr. Lynn Tomkins, President of the Ontario Dental Association. "As a new patient you should be aware that only a regulated dentist has the training and education to provide a comprehensive examination, communicate the diagnosis to you, the patient, and discuss a range of treatment options with you."

A regulated dentist has the training and education to look for oral health problems, including signs of tooth decay, the second most common disease in the world. In 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that dental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease, five times more common than asthma in children aged five through 17. Tooth decay, if left untreated, can lead to pain, infection and lost wages from days off work. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) estimates that more than 51 million school hours and 164 million hours of work are lost in the United States each year due to dental related absences. Your dentist will identify warning signs of tooth decay and other oral health conditions, offer preventive treatments, and address the cause of the problem. A regulated dentist will design an oral health care plan that is best suited to you.

Dentists in Ontario are regulated by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO). Check the RCDSO website at www.rcdso.org to see if your dentist is regulated.

"Going to a regulated dentist will ensure that you are receiving the highest level of care," said Dr. Tomkins. "We want to help all patients and be your partners in oral health care."

For more information about oral health care, please consult the ODA website at: youroralhealth.ca.

For further information: Nicole Helsberg, Public Affairs & Communications, Ontario Dental Association, [phone] or [email protected]