(L. to r.) Dr. Colin Carrie, MP for Oshawa and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, with Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president.
Dr. Ronald Smith, president of CDA, and Dr. David Zaparinuk, a member of CDA's Board of Directors, participated in meetings on Parliament Hill in November 2010 to increase awareness of CDA's priority advocacy projects—the oral health of children and seniors.
The CDA representatives met with members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to advocate for all Canadian children to be seen by a dentist by age one. The Standing Committee of Veterans Affairs was informed by CDA about the need for veterans to receive oral health screening when being admitted to a long-term care facility.
These two initiatives were well-received by members of Parliament, and CDA will continue to work with both committees to advance these issues. The profession's advocacy messages will be further reinforced during CDA's annual Days on the Hill meetings, set to take place this spring.