“Increasing numbers of people are seeing the strong, direct link between a college education and a meaningful career,” said Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “People understand the importance of exploring their options in higher education and choosing the programs that best prepare them for their career goals. In many cases, those programs are offered at Ontario’s colleges.”

In total, 100,495 people have applied to Ontario college programs for this year.

Each year, about 40 per cent of applicants apply directly from high school. These applications increased by 8.6 per cent over last year. Non-direct applicants (people who do not apply directly from high school) increased by 20.2 per cent this year.

Franklin said career-focused higher education is particularly important in this economy, when people are looking for education, training and retraining opportunities.

“About 90 per cent of college graduates find work within six months of graduation,” Franklin said. “This is a very attractive outcome in any economy, but particularly in the current one.”

Dental Hygiene, along with Paramedic or Practical Nursing, are the three of the most popular college programs in Ontario. Between 2000 and 2010 applications in these programs have risen by 32.8 per cent.

Many applicants are people seeking retraining through the Ontario government’s Second Career programs. Students in Second Career programs are funded separately from students and colleges are able to deliver programs to these students while continuing to serve high school graduates and other applicants.

However, Franklin said colleges do face pressure to find the capacity to address the huge demand in Ontario for college education.

“The popularity of our colleges speaks to their success, but also emphasizes the need to fund our colleges sufficiently to deliver the education our communities need,” Franklin said.

“We must partner with the government to fund enrolment growth so that all qualified applicants can get the education they need to find good jobs.”

Click here for more information about the Second Career program through Oxford College.

From the NPR show Morning Edition:

“You know, it depends on how much of the active agent is in that product,” says Francisco Ramos-Gomez, a pediatric dentist at U.C.L.A. “And how much you chew per day.”

Oral health experts say the popularity of sugar-free gums has been one step in the improvement of children’s oral health. Since consuming lots of sucrose — or table sugar — can lead to cavities, there’s a benefit simply in taking it out of gum.

Read or Listen to the full story on the NPR website

Written by Dr. Patricia M. Johnson, the article examines trends and changes in the dental hygiene profession in Canada, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and over another dozen countries in Europe and Asia. Some highlights about the article:

• Japan has the most dental hygienists in the world, with over 200 000.  The United States was in second place, with Korea and Canada coming in next.  Some of the countries surveyed have very few dental hygienists, such as Australia (which has 850 dental hygienists), Germany (120) and Austria (only 10).
• Most countries are seeing dramatic increases in the number of dental hygienists entering the profession. Canada has seen a 200% growth between 1987 and 2006, while Italy has seen its number of dental hygienists climb by over 2207%.
• Canada, South Africa and Latvia are the only three countries that have self-regulation, with most of the other countries in this survey being governed by a Dental Board (with Dentists) or through a government department. The profession is not regulated in Austria, Germany or New Zealand
• the employment trend in most countries was good or very good in 2006, except for Israel and Finland, where jobs were scarce
• annual wages varied from country to country. In Germany, wages could reach $120 000 a year, while in Denmark, Ireland and the UK it ranged between $60 and 70 000. Wages reportedly were the lowest for Latvia and Slovakia at less than $7000 annually.
• some of the most important issues for dental hygienists around the world include expanding the legal scope of dental hygiene practice, establishing university-level education in dental hygiene, improving the employment and career opportunities for dental hygienists, and improving public access to their services
• the author concludes “that dental hygiene continues to evolve both as a profession and an important part of the health care delivery system…on the one hand, there is improved access to and greater technical efficiency in the provision of essentila oral health services. On the other hand, the emergence of the dental-hygienist-as-primary-care-provider and as-entrepreneur necessitates new practice configurations, increased collaboration in the workplace, and more effective linkages between dental hygiene and other health groups.”

To read the full article, click here

Hometown: Corner Brook, Newfoundland

1. You came from Newfoundland to study at Oxford College. How has this transition been for you and your family?

The transition has been easier than I expected. Toronto has a lot to offer and its only temporary. So I know its not forever but you have to take advantage of all the events and places you may never see in Newfoundland. My family miss me but they have come to visit.

2. You have nearly finished all the courses in our dental hygiene program. For you, which was the most interesting?

The most interesting and challenging are the Clinic courses and the Periodontology courses, because this is a completely new field for me. I had no dental background before coming here, but I have learned so much.

3. You also just wrote the exam for the National Dental Examination Board of Canada, which is the test everyone must pass to become a dental hygienist in Canada. How did you find your experience?

The national board exam was a pleasant surprise - challenging but not too difficult.

4. Finally, you are planning to return to Newfoundland after you graduate. What do you expect your career prospects to be in that province?

Yes, for the time being I will be working in Newfoundland - the pay is excellent and there are jobs always available for dental hygienists. I may travel to work overseas too, after getting some experience at home.

• To prevent the development of oral cancer, or to detect it at the earliest possible stage.
• To achieve a greater cancer cure rate through more clinically effective treatment.
• To improve the early detection of local and regional recurrences.

Their website - http://www.orcanet.ca/ - contains a wide variety of information about detecting oral cancer, including articles, powerpoint presentations, clinical guidelines and a Q&A about oral cancer.

“This site gives people a reliable, no holes barred outlet to research dental topics that are important or unclear to them. While still strongly supporting organized dentistry, its primary focus is patient empowerment and well-being. That’s what differentiates this site from other dental websites,” states Tanya Stein, Registered Dental Hygienist.

At www.TheDentalInsider.com, consumers can easily navigate through many categories such as Dental Dangers, Risky Business, and Confessions of a Dental Hygienist. Hot topics include laser dentistry, insurance fraud, second opinions, reporting malpractice, and flossing tips.

With that in mind, Mayhew has opened the doors to Floss Dental Hygiene Services. A soothing spa-like atmosphere greets patients at the new Comox Avenue clinic, the first stand alone dental hygiene clinic on the North Island.

Floss provides dental hygiene services including oral cancer screenings, cleaning, polishing, fluoride application, tooth whitening and the fabrication of sports guards. Services are available at the clinic and in Residential Care facilities.

“There is no restorative work going on at the clinic, meaning no dental drill noise, chemical smells or needles,” Mayhew explains. “I’ve tried to create a space that is relaxing, soothing and calm. It is like having your teeth cleaned at the spa.”

A Dental Hygienist with a degree in psychology, Heather has perfected the art of relaxing her patients, while educating them about their dental health. She has worked as hygienist in the Comox Valley since 2002.

Heather will also be taking her expertise on the road, providing residential care to those in the community who are no longer able to go out and seek dental care.

“A large element of my practice will focus on care homes, hospital and other care facilities in town, treating those who are unable to continue making trips to see their dentist or dental hygienist,” Mayhew said. “At this stage in life we often see a decline in oral health. It is an extremely important time, often due to numerous medical issues, to keep the oral environment as healthy as possible.”

Seeing a dental care professional on a regular basis can help control periodontal disease; furthermore, gum disease has been linked to many diseases including diabetes, lung disease and heart disease.

In addition to the dental hygiene care provided, clients will be required to see their dentists at least once per year.

“A dental hygienist cannot work on a client unless they have had a check-up exam with their dentist within the last 365 days,” Mayhew explains.

The College of Dental Surgeons and College of Dental Hygienists are working together to change this rule in an effort to increase access to care for those who have not had an opportunity to visit a dentist recently.

Floss Dental Hygiene Services is working with a host of insurance providers, and most major companies accept billings from Dental Hygiene providers.

The clinic’s fees follow the BC Dental Hygiene Fee Guide, as provided by the BC Dental Hygienists Association.

From the Comox Valley Echo