Yesterday, the Minister of Health announced the final recommendations from the Steering Committee on Modernization of Health Professional Regulation in British Columbia. Links to the press release and other related documents are below.
You
can read the four oral health colleges' response to the announcement below.
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All registrants were sent an updated interim guidance document for oral health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic on August 18. Read the updated document at the link below:
Oral Health Care During Phases 2 and 3 of the COVID-19 Response >>
A comparison document showing markup of changes between May 15 and August 18 guidance documents is available here.
Key updates in this version include:
- Revised patient and staff screening protocols
- Increased detail related to screening for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 positive patients and patients vulnerable for severe expression of COVID-19
- Updated personal protective equipment (PPE) for patients and providers (including a table outlining PPE by procedure and COVID-19 status of patient)
- Precautions for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19
A public-friendly version of the interim guidance document for oral health care providers has been created to help patients understand what to expect when seeking dental care.
Guidance for Patients: What to expect when visiting a dental office during Phase 2 and 3 of BC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic >>
We have recently updated our list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about COVID-19 in response to questions about improving ventilation in dental facilities.
This is an open invitation to join us at CDSBC's first virtual annual meeting on Thursday, September 10, 2020 from 9-10:30 am.
This meeting will be hosted online using GoToWebinar. To receive the link and instructions for joining the meeting, please write to registrarsoffice@cdsbc.org no later than September 9.
The annual meeting includes time for questions about CDSBC's activities over the past year. While questions can be asked in real time during the meeting, we encourage you to submit your online question(s) at least three days prior to the annual meeting using our Question Submission Form.
For more information, read our Public and Registrant Participation Policy >>
Please
note there is a delay in reviewing continuing education submissions due to a significant increase
in volume of submissions. Your patience as we work through the backlog is
greatly appreciated.
On June 19, 2020, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced that Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond would lead an independent investigation into racism in the B.C. health care system with a focus on Indigenous-specific discrimination. Addressing Racism, an Independent Investigation into Indigenous-specific Discrimination in B.C. Health Care, formally began on July 9.
More information on the investigation is available at engage.gov.bc.ca/addressingracism.
If you would like to report a specific incident of racism, you can call the investigation team's toll-free line at 1-888-600-3078 or contact them by email at addressing_racism@gov.bc.ca
Read about CDSBC's Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility here >>
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Automated text messages are now being sent to registrants as part of the rollout for standards and guidance documents and other important deadlines. The text messages function as a second reminder to reinforce important messages for registrants, as we understand that dental professionals are not always in front of their computers over the course of the day. The messages originate from CDSBC's main phone line 604-736-3621.
If you are not receiving these messages, please update your contact information with CDSBC to include a cell/mobile phone number.
If you have questions about a message received via text, please phone our reception desk, or email communications@cdsbc.org
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The next Board meeting will be held virtually on September 11, 2020 at 9:30 am. We are temporarily unable to accommodate guests at board meetings; however, a recording of the public portion of the meeting will be published after the event.
- Meeting packages are posted on the website on the week of the meeting.
- Questions related to the issues on the agenda can be submitted to the Board in advance of the meeting using our board question submission form. Meeting agendas include a standing time designated for comments and questions from the public and registrants.
For more information and the dates of all upcoming board meetings, see the Board meetings page on the website.
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The
CDSBC office remains closed to the public at this time to keep our staff and
our community safe. Our staff continue working remotely, and
you can reach us with general inquiries via phone at 604-736-3621 (toll
free 1-800-663-9169) or via our contact webform at cdsbc.org/home/contact-us.
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Our staff operations will be paused on September 7, 2020 for Labour Day, and will resume at 8 am on September 8, 2020.
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This Contact News is distributed to registrants and stakeholders of the College of Dental Surgeons of BC. It is one of CDSBC's official methods of notification to its registrants. Registrants are responsible for reading College publications to ensure that they are aware of current standards, policies and guidelines. 
