CDA is partnering with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to address a shared goal of improving the oral health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis (Aboriginal) peoples. Addressing inequalities in oral health status between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians is an important focus of CDA’s advocacy work and a key challenge addressed in the CIHR initiative, Pathways to Health Equity for Aboriginal Peoples.
The Pathways initiative commits $25 million over 10 years for programs addressing 4 health issues affecting Aboriginal peoples: suicide, tuberculosis, obesity and poor oral health. The overall goal of the initiative is to fund research aimed at understanding how to implement interventions that will create better preventive health services, healthier communities, and health equity for Aboriginal peoples. As a partner in the initiative, CDA will support knowledge translation activities for research projects related to oral health.
As previously reported in JCDA, significant disparities persist in the oral health status of First Nations peoples compared to other Canadians. Dental disease and limited access to dental services are major concerns.