The Canadian dental industry is entering a new chapter. Dentalcorp Holdings Ltd., the country’s largest dental services organization with more than 550 practices, has agreed to be acquired by U.S. private equity firm GTCR in a transaction valued at C$2.2 billion. Once complete, Dentalcorp will no longer be publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange … Read more
Abstract The rise of artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever for cybercriminals to exploit stolen data. One overlooked risk is the Google Takeout archive, a downloadable file that contains the full contents of a Google account, including emails, contacts, calendars, photos, and even location history. For healthcare providers who use Gmail, this can … Read more
Have you ever felt like you were standing on the brink of something bigger…ready to launch a new service, step into a new role, or chase down a big goal only to find yourself frozen by hesitation? If so, you’re in very good company. Most of us, whether in our personal lives or our businesses, … Read more
The why: Background story In the heart of Toronto’s vibrant Leslieville community, a kids dentistry practice has opened its doors with a heartfelt mission to become a warm, welcoming home for children’s oral health. Leslieville Kids Dental Centre was founded by husband-and-wife duo Dr. Helia Koleini and Dr. Jacob Balkos. It reflects their personal love story … Read more
Advances in detecting early childhood caries (ECC)—from improved diagnostics to emerging AI tools—promise earlier intervention and expanded treatment options. Yet ECC is more than a microbial condition. For many children, especially in marginalized communities, it is a visible marker of systemic inequity. The view from the dental chair Oral health professionals see health disparities in … Read more
Hygiene Spotlight features an exceptional dental hygienist every month. This month we are showcasing Kevin Ohashi Lopez, MHA, BSDH, RDH. Kevin is a clinician, international speaker, author, educator, and influencer in dental hygiene. He is a recipient of the 2024 Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction. Your passion for dental hygiene is clear. In one Instagram post, you called … Read more
In its 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) found that 62% of respondents encountered health content that later turned out to be false or misleading—an 8% increase over what was reported in last year’s survey. All members of our broader medical community have the responsibility to contribute favourably to … Read more
Navigating the new nicotine landscape The use of oral nicotine delivery products (ONDPs), along with vaping and other modifiable risk factors (MRFs), have surged in the last decade. More recently, the rate of use of novel non-tobacco ONDPs, such as nicotine pouches (NPs), have been increasing—particularly among adolescents in Canada. In 2023 NPs snuck through … Read more
Toothbrushing—everyone knows they should do it, and that it’s the primary way to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease. Yet dental disease remains widespread. Why? As with other forms of preventive healthcare, such as diet and exercise, the problem lies not in knowledge but in the application of knowledge. Patients must be taught, motivated, and … Read more
For many patients, the thought of visiting a dental office triggers anxiety well before they step through the door. Traditional dental spaces, even when visually pleasing, often overlook the other powerful senses that shape a patient’s experience. Sound, touch, scent, and even subtle environmental cues all play significant roles in how patients perceive their visit … Read more
As dental hygienists, we are part of a vibrant and essential workforce. There are approximately 33,500 registered dental hygienists in Canada, according to the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC), and over 214,700 dental hygienists in the United States, based on data from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA, 2024). Each of us … Read more
Meet Cheryl, a 52-year-old patient who has been coming to your office every six months for over a decade. She’s loyal. She’s trusting. And like many patients, she doesn’t ask too many questions, until something didn’t add up. At her last visit, she saw a dental hygienist she had not met before. This time, her … Read more
Note from editor Oral Health is proud to introduce a brand-new series by Dr. Bruce Pynn and Dr. Hagen Klieb, featuring a curated collection of compelling cases. This series aims to raise awareness and deepen understanding of unique and unusual oral pathology. How would you diagnose this case? A 38-year-old male was referred to the … Read more
Printed metal appliances,” “sintered metal appliances,” “absolute magic” … however you prefer to refer to the newest form of appliance delivery, its technology is gaining traction in the orthodontic world. Unlike traditional circumferential bands, however, printed appliances have more in common with buccal tubes or large acrylic appliances when it comes to the bonding process. … Read more
Impaction of second molars, whether maxillary or mandibular, is an uncommon but clinically significant anomaly in orthodontics, with a reported prevalence ranging from 0.03% to 2.3%, depending on the population studied.1 Unlike third molars, which are frequently impacted and often extracted prophylactically, impacted second molars are traditionally preserved to establish and maintain functional occlusion. Etiology of … Read more
Abstract This article describes the orthodontic management of an adult patient with mandibular asymmetry, maxillary occlusal canting, and a functional mandibular shift. The patient had previously undergone comprehensive orthodontic treatment but was dissatisfied with the outcome. A thorough diagnostic with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) allowed detailed assessment of occlusal plane canting and skeletal asymmetry. This … Read more
Orthodontics has always aimed to create aesthetically pleasing smiles and functional occlusions, but today, we strive for even more. Modern orthodontic care emphasizes not only straightening teeth and correcting malocclusion, but also optimizing facial balance, smile aesthetics, airway development, and long-term stability. Early orthodontic treatment, typically initiated between the ages of 7 and 10, is … Read more
The intention of this article is not to discuss all the factors involved in formulating a diagnosis and treatment plan for anterior tooth wear, but rather to demonstrate the favourable outcome one can achieve when implementing a minimally invasive treatment option. The option involves optimal orthodontic tooth positioning using a clear aligner system followed by … Read more
One of the most challenging malocclusions to treat orthodontically is an anterior open bite (AOB). This malocclusion is defined as a lack of occlusal contacts between the incisors +/- the canines in maximum intercuspation resulting in a lack of vertical overlap of the incisors and occurs for several reasons (Table 1).1-3 It is important to discuss this … Read more
Abstract Clear aligner therapy has significantly transformed orthodontic practice by providing an aesthetic and removable alternative to traditional fixed appliances. Conventional thermoformed aligners, although widely successful, are limited by force degradation, stress relaxation, and deformation under intraoral conditions, affecting treatment predictability. Recent advances in material science, particularly the emergence of 3D-printed shape memory polymers (SMPs), … Read more