Dental Hygiene Canada

11/01/2026

Did you enjoy some sweet Halloween treats last night?

Today is National Brush Day, a great reminder to brush away the sugar and get back to healthy oral care habits! Help keep your kids smiles healthy by encouraging them to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and maintain a consistent oral health routine.

Looking for tips to help keep young smiles bright? Check out CDHA's Keep Kids Smiling resources:

https://www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/DHCanada/DHCanada/Oral_Health_for_Life/Kids/Keep_Kids_Smiling.aspx

10/31/2026

Listen to some Halloween treat tips from dental hygienist Nicole Kielly

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-56-st-johns-morning-show/clip/16246273-a-dental-hygienist-shares-tips-protect-pearly-whites

10/26/2026

This Canadian Patient Safety Week, we recognize the important role dental hygienists play in helping keep patients safe every day.

Dental hygienists follow strict infection prevention and control protocols, including sterilizing instruments, disinfecting treatment areas, practicing proper hand hygiene, and using personal protective equipment to help prevent the spread of infection and protect patients.

Learn more about infection control in dental hygiene care:

https://www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/dhcanada/DHCanada/Your_Dental_Hygienist/Infection_Control_Protocols.aspx

This year's theme, What Shapes Safer Care? encourages us to reflect on the many factors that contribute to safe, high-quality care. Explore the resources, stories, tools, and learning opportunities available through Healthcare Excellence Canada's Canadian Patient Safety Week campaign:

https://www.healthcareexcellence.ca/canadian-patient-safety-week

10/22/2026

October is National Denturist Awareness Month!

Denturists are important members of the oral health care team. They specialize in helping people who need full or partial dentures and other removable oral appliances, supporting their comfort, function, confidence, and oral health.

Check out our Denture and Mouth Care resource for helpful information on caring for dentures and maintaining good oral health:

https://www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/DHCanada/DHCanada/Oral_Health_for_Life/Seniors/Denture_and_Mouth_Care.aspx

10/14/2026

Today is World Cavity-Free Future Day, , an initiative of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future.

This year’s message reminds us that oral health is health. The mouth is part of the body, and good oral health is an important part of overall health and well-being.

Dental hygienists play an important role in supporting their patients’ oral health through education, prevention, early detection, and personalized care. By encouraging healthy habits and regular oral health care, dental hygienists help their patients protect both their oral and overall health.

Together, let’s make your mouth heard!

Learn more about World Cavity-Free Future Day:
https://www.acffglobal.org/wcffday/

Check out our “Oral Health for Better Overall Health” resource:https://www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/pdfs/profession/resources/Dental_Hygiene_for_Life_FactSheet.pdf

10/07/2026

October 1-7 is HPV Awareness Week

Did you know that in Canada, 60% to 73% of throat cancers are linked to oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection? HPV-related throat cancers are now the most common HPV-associated cancers in the country, particularly among men.

Dental hygienists play an important role in oral cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection. That's why CDHA has developed a new resource to help Canadians learn about HPV, understand its connection to throat cancers, recognize potential warning signs, and take steps to protect their oral and overall health.

Download the resourcehttps://files.cdha.ca/dhcanada/cdha-hpv-en.pdf

Learn more about HPV Awareness Week: https://www.canadavshpv.ca/hpvpw

10/06/2026

The CDCP has established a historic opportunity to improve oral health in Canada. As we look to the future, we must ensure the program does more than just pay for treatment. It should help Canadians prevent disease, maintain oral health, and improve their quality of life. That is where dental hygienists can make the greatest contribution.

10/06/2026

CDHA welcomes the Canadian Dental Association's new report on the Canadian Dental Care Plan: From Coverage to Care: An Evidence-Informed Assessment of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), just released this morning.

https://www.cda-adc.ca/policy-and-advocacy/government-relations/policy-papers/from-coverage-to-care?fbclid=IwY2xjawU0b-JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMVVaNDJ4UnFrU1hyeDVneENzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeZTfGUtGrLKFGJNO9f8LgaAYogArwc9ozJXt5xmpgbn8xzDtNTXQ4pqy7P2Y_aem_mdAJO0EwAo9K1Sop0Y0QhQ

CDHA agrees that the plan is helping more Canadians access oral health care, but we maintain access alone is not enough. CDHA is calling for a stronger focus on prevention, including oral health education, early intervention, and evidence-informed preventive services. Investing in prevention improves health outcomes, supports healthier communities, and will help ensure the long-term success of the CDCP.

Learn more about CDHA's recommendations for strengthening the CDCP. Read our media release and backgrounder at

http://www.cdha.ca/press

Read statements from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association on issues affecting dental hygiene care and oral health in Canada.

10/03/2026

A Legacy of Leadership - Honouring 50+ Year CDHA Members

There's a great deal of pride in the longevity of the profession of dental hygiene and CDHA is thrilled to recognize a very auspicious and prestigious group of its members to whom we owe a huge debt of gratitude. Past presidents, board directors and life members, each one of the following 25 women has maintained their membership with CDHA for 50 or more years - since at least 1976, with some, since the very beginning in 1963!

Patricia (Pat) Johnson (Founding member)
Carole Kline (Founding member)
Anne Bosy (Founding member)
Lynda McKeown
Bonnie Craig
Dale Scanlan
Fran Richardson
Barbara Hewton
Evie Jesin
Sandra Lawlor
Mary Frances Donis
Salme Lavigne
Susan Matheson
Sherry Saunderson and
Sue MacIntosh
Susanne Sunell
Yvonne Smith
Susan Sumi
Judy Dean
Mary Findlay
Joanne Clovis
Bonnie Borins
Brenda Walker
Carol Worobey
Louretta Frolek

The leadership, passion, and forward-thinking vision of this group represent a decades long legacy that helped build the very foundation of dental hygiene as we know it today. Through their influence, they have not only elevated the profession but also inspired future generations to advance oral health care across Canada.

Their legacy and the lasting impact they continue to make is the very foundation on which we stand. These are the pioneers that won victories, broke barriers and overcame obstacles so that now, we can look to the future boldly and with the strength to press onward and continue to take the profession to even greater heights.

Meet them all in this video and watch an inspirational greeting from founding CDHA member Patricia Johnson.

10/01/2026

It’s ! Today, we celebrate older adults across Canada and recognize the importance of maintaining good oral health throughout life.

From preventive care to practical advice, dental hygienists can help support a healthy smile as you age. Explore Dental Hygiene Canada’s resources for older adults, including tips for daily care, managing dry mouth, caring for dentures, and oral care in long-term care settings.

Learn more: https://www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/DHCanada/DHCanada/Oral_Health_for_Life/Seniors/seniorsOralHealth.aspx