Vancouver, British Columbia: DentalSpa is new to the Canadians!

British Columbia just got "Spa-aaah-ed"! I was in Vancouver speaking at the Pacific Dental Conference and presented on a variety of dental hygiene subjects in integrative dentistry. First of all, I could hardly catch my breath with the beauty of the scenery. The Olympic flame, Whistler, sea planes landing and getting gas at the cute Chevron station in the middle of the lake, Copper River Salmon, my new favorite pig out food! Dental hygiene and dentistry in Canada is similar but different to those of us that work in the states.
Dental hygiene jobs are scarce like they are here in the states but yet, the patients are a-plenty! There is no lack of patients in a dental office but yet the dentists don't provide the public with enough dental hygiene services to provide for all involved. I asked my Canadian colleagues why that is. Their response was that the dentists don't have time to "check" all of the patients. I responded with,"So what, don't check the patients". If I were a dentist in Canada, I would employ 25 hygienists if I had to that met the public's needs and provide employment for hygienists. Dental hygienists can even have their own practices and that somehow is not appealing to the hygienist. Dental patients, otherwise, have to wait 9-12 months to get an appointment. Something just doesn't add up here. Our problem in the states is that we not only don't have enough employment opportunities for the clinical hygienist, but the dental industry itself is having a tough time getting the dental chairs filled. Not with Oraspa!
I loved talking with the many dental personnel, dental assistants, dentists, other speakers. Everyone was so kind and the venue was impeccable. My favorite kiosk at the Vancouver Convention Center was the green apple station that had a huge apple sign at the top that said, "Bite Me!"