December 12, 2008 Honourable Michael Murphy Minister of Health
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December 12, 2008 Honourable Michael Murphy Minister of Health HSBC Place Floor: 5 P. O. Box 5100 Fredericton, NB E3B 5G8 Canada [email protected] Dear Honourable Murphy, Re: Self-regulation for New Brunswick Dental Hygienists The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association strongly recommends self-regulation for New Brunswick dental hygienists. We would like to draw to your attention several reasons why the New Brunswick Dental Society (NBDS) is not presently providing adequate protection for the public in their responsibilities as regulators of dental hygienists, and why they are not providing adequate representation for dental hygienists in national discussions impacting on their profession. On November 25 and 26, the Dental Hygiene Regulatory Bodies from across Canada came together at a meeting in Ottawa to discuss the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). This meeting was supported by Human Resources and Social Development Canada, in order to facilitate agreement on internal trade issues. Although the New Brunswick Dental Hygienists Association (NBDHA) approached the NBDS to send a representative to this meeting; the NBDS did not send a representative. The NBDHA did not have a voice in determining national standards for their profession. As a result, the people of New Brunswick and the people of Canada will experience a threat to the quality of their oral health care. The failure of NBDS to participate has had a significant negative impact on New Brunswick dental hygienists mobility across Canada, since the New Brunswick dental hygiene regulation standards are lower than other provinces. For example, the NBDS does not require dental hygienists to pass the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board exam in order to obtain registration. It is anticipated, given the discussion at the meeting that the other jurisdictions in Canada will file a legitimate objection to New Brunswick dental hygienists, when they attempt to register in another province. It is time to move forward with dental hygiene self-regulation in order to provide dental hygienists with a regulatory body that will work together with other Canadian regulatory bodies in implementing the Agreement on Internal Trade. The benefits of a successful AIT will be a stronger Canadian economy. Since the majority of dental hygienists are employed by dentists, we feel that it is a conflict of interest for organized dentistry to act as both regulators and employers of dental hygienists. We feel that there is the risk that public concerns regarding the conduct of dental hygienists may not be taken seriously in this context, since a conflict may occur between the dentists’ responsibility to protect their financial business interests and to protect public safety. We firmly believe that dental hygiene self-regulation will result in better public safety, since this conflict of interest will no longer exist and public safety will be given the priority it deserves. The majority of dental hygienists in Canada are self-regulated, including the 7 provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. We implore you to act in the public interest by enacting legislation to enable dental hygiene self-regulation. We look forward to positive news regarding your action in this area. Sincerely, Dr. Susan Ziebarth, CHE Executive Director Canadian Dental Hygienists Association CC: Hon. Donald Arseneault Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Chestnut Complex P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Canada [email protected] Hon. Thomas J. Burke, Q.C. Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs Centennial Building P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Canada [email protected] Mr. Chris Collins Member of the Legislative Assembly Departmental Building West Block 96 Saint John Street P.O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 [email protected] Ms. Roseline Pelletier Labour Mobility Coordinating Group (LMCG) Representative for New Brunswick [email protected] Ms. Anne Comeau NBDHA President [email protected] MLA’s – New Brunswick WAYNE STEEVES (PC) Email: [email protected] BRIAN KENNY (L) Email: [email protected] HON. ROY BOUDREAU (L) Email: [email protected] HON. HÉDARD ALBERT (L) Email: [email protected] DALE GRAHAM (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. DENIS LANDRY (L) Email: [email protected] ANTOON (TONY) HUNTJENS (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. RICK DOUCET (L) Email: [email protected] HON. DONALD ARSENEAULT (L) Email: [email protected] BILL FRASER (L) Email: [email protected] BRIAN KENNY (L) Email: [email protected] CY (RICHARD) LEBLANC (PC) Email: [email protected] MADELEINE DUBÉ (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. KELLY LAMROCK (L) Email: [email protected] HON. GREG BYRNE (L) Email: [email protected] HON. THOMAS J (TJ) BURKE (L) Email: [email protected] RICHARD (RICK) MILES (L) Email: [email protected] HON. JACK KEIR (L) Email: [email protected] HON. RONALD OUELLETTE (L) Email: [email protected] HON. EUGENE MCGINLEY (L) Email: [email protected] BEV HARRISON (PC) Email: [email protected] CLAUDE WILLIAMS (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. SHAWN M. GRAHAM (L) Email: [email protected] BRUCE NORTHRUP (PC) Email: [email protected] PAUL ROBICHAUD (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. SHAWN GRAHAM (L) Email: [email protected] JEANNOT VOLPÉ (PC) Email: [email protected] JEANNOT VOLPÉ (PC) Email: [email protected] BERNARD LEBLANC (L) Email: [email protected] HON. CARMEL ROBICHAUD (L) Email: [email protected] HON. JOHN WINSTON FORAN (L) Email: [email protected] BILL FRASER (L) Email: [email protected] JOHN W. BETTS (PC) Email: [email protected] CHRIS COLLINS (L) Email: [email protected] HON. MICHAEL MURPHY (L) Email: [email protected] L. JOAN MACALPINE-STILES (L) Email: [email protected] CHERYL LAVOIE (L) Email: [email protected] HON. ROLAND HACHÉ (L) Email: [email protected] JODY CARR (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. WALLY STILES (L) Email: [email protected] HON. MARY SCHRYER (L) Email: [email protected] PERCY MOCKLER (PC) Email: [email protected] BRUCE FITCH (PC) Email: [email protected] ROSE-MAY POIRIER (PC) Email: [email protected] MARGARET-ANN BLANEY (PC) Email: [email protected] ROLY MACINTYRE (L) Email: [email protected] HON. DR. ED DOHERTY (L) Email: [email protected] ABEL LEBLANC (L) Email: [email protected] TREVOR HOLDER (PC) Email: [email protected] HON. STUART JAMIESON (L) Email: [email protected] HON. VICTOR E. BOUDREAU (L) Email: [email protected] RICK BREWER (L) Email: [email protected] MIKE OLSCAMP (PC) Email: [email protected] CLAUDE LANDRY (PC) Email: [email protected] DAVID ALWARD (PC) Email: [email protected] KIRK MACDONALD (PC) Email: [email protected] CARL URQUHART (PC) Email: [email protected] .