Council Meeting of March 4, 2010
Council Highlights is a summary of key motions and activities from the most recent meeting of the governing Council of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO). This publication is part of RCDSO’s ongoing commitment to enhancing open and transparent communications with our members, the public and key stakeholders. We welcome your feedback. If you need any further information on any of these items, please contact the RCDSO Registrar Irwin Fefergrad by phone at 416-934-5625 or by e-mail at ifefergrad@rcdso.org.

Click here to read the latest Council Highlights

RCDSO presents Lunch and Learn webinar series
Early this fall, the College is launching a Lunch and Learn webinar series featuring three 90-minute live professional development sessions.

Using the latest in online technologies, participants can interact with leading dental experts in real time. These interactive seminars will feature visuals and a live question and answer session.

The webinars will begin promptly at 12:00 p.m. Participation in each webinar is worth 3 College CE credits.

Read the latest issue of Dispatch, the College’s official publication, for more information about webinar topics and presenters. Further details will be posted online in the coming weeks.

Click here to read the Dispatch article from the February/March 2010 issue

Consumer Advisory on Zinc-containing Denture Adhesives
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has issued a warning about a potential health risk associated with long-term, excessive use of zinc-containing denture adhesives Poli-Grip "Advanced Care," "Extra Strength" and "Ultra Fresh." GSK will stop manufacturing these zinc-containing denture adhesive and plans to replace them with zinc free products.

Health Canada has not to date issued a recall of the product. These measures are being taken by GSK.
Click here for the GlaxoSmithKline consumer advisory.
Dental Record Warrants for Ontarians Thought to Have Died in Haiti
The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario is assisting with the identification/repatriation phase of Ontario residents who have died in Haiti and whose remains will be brought to Ontario.
Click here for details.

WITH A COMMON VOICE
Ending the Work Relationship Between a Dentist and a Registered Dental Hygienist

All four dental organizations – College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO), Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association (ODHA), Ontario Dental Association (ODA) and Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) – are often asked for advice and direction from dentists and dental hygienists about how to end an existing work relationship and what the dentists’ and dental hygienists’ obligations are when the relationship ends.

As health care professionals, the overriding principle is always to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, provincial legislation and safe patient/client care. Within that framework, there are sometimes practical questions that arise when a dental hygienist leaves a working relationship within a dental practice.

All four organizations have posted this article on their websites on January 18 and will be publishing it in their newsletters/magazines at the earliest opportunity. It will appear in the Feb/March 2010 issue of Dispatch.
Click here for details.

New Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines
These new Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines were passed by Council on November 12, 2009. These Guidelines are not a regulation but clinical best practices. The professional judgement of the individual dentist will inform how each of these best practices is used in the dentist’s office. A paper copy of the Guidelines will be distributed to every dentist in the province with the February/March 2010 issue of Dispatch magazine.
Click here for details.