Re: Early Childhood Caries — A Preventable Disease, Keith Titley (Oral Health, Jan/’04)
Thank you for the excellent editorial. I strongly believe that this editorial will make an important contribution in reducing the prevalence of early childhood caries. The concept that the first dental visit should take place as soon as the first primary tooth erupts is not new to pediatric dental specialty, however lack of support and understanding from other dental and health professionals is not facilitating its implementation.
I also agree that there is a bit of misconception that professionals, other than pediatric dentists, could and will examine baby’s first teeth at the time of their eruption. For many reasons this is not happening and particularly families from lower socio-economical groups are deprived of essential first dental exams as well as the one-to-one anticipatory guidance information, recalls and follow-ups at the time when it could lead to the reduced risk for early childhood caries. It is time for pediatric dentists to receive help and support from other colleagues and more importantly for the children from high-risk groups to get the dental childhood they deserve. Is asking for a toothache-free-childhood for all, really asking too much?
Charles Lekic DDM, MSc, PhD
Winnipeg, MB
Re: Just What We Need — More Rules and Regulations! Randy Lang (Oral Health, Sept/03)
I wish to compliment Dr. Lang and Oral Health on being the first to alert dentists across Canada to the many problems and pitfalls with PIPEDA, Canada’s new Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
It is indeed unfortunate that this piece of federal legislation, which was originally written for the industry, trade and commerce sector of our economy, was also made to apply to dentists. This appears to me to be a blatant attempt by the federal government to gain federal jurisdiction over the private practice of dentistry, which constitutionally is under provincial jurisdiction.
It is my sincere hope that the Canadian Dental Association will continue to support all dentists in resolving this contentious issue.
M. Kaburda, DDS, MRCD, FRCD
New Westminster, BC
