ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is joining forces with the Canadian Dental Association and its Journal of the Canadian Dental Association Oasis program to bring infection prevention resources to Canadian dental professionals.
Recently, the JCDA underwent a metamorphosis into JCDA Oasis (online advice and searchable information system). The web-based Oasis combines a peer-reviewed journal, a chairside clinical decision support tool and a blog site, Oasis Discussion, where clinicians’ questions are answered. The program is designed to facilitate dental engagement and discussion around credible clinical content.
Dr. John O’Keefe, Canadian Dental Association’s director of knowledge networks and member of the OSAP board of directors, proposed the partnership, suggesting OSAP become a contributing organization for infection control. He is developing a team of experts in all clinical areas for JCDA Oasis, and plans to repackage question/answers portions of the Oasis Discussions blog into papers.
“Among other things, JCDA Oasis aims to answer the burning clinical questions on the minds of Canadian dentists and their team members,” said O’Keefe. “OSAP has an amazing wealth of responses to such questions, in the area of patient safety. With Dr. Nita Mazurat providing the link between Oasis and OSAP, we will ensure that the expertise of OSAP is brought to Canadian dental team members in an appropriate manner though JCDA Oasis. Canadian dental team members will also develop enhanced awareness of the great resources they can access by becoming members of the OSAP community.”
An OSAP member, Dr. Mazurat, has been tasked with repurposing the wealth of information OSAP has gathered and responded to over the years through frequently asked questions by their members, to ensure the content is applicable and consistent with Canadian needs.
"One of our major challenges for infection prevention and control in Canada is lack of a central venue to share our information,” said Mazurat. “The Oasis/OSAP collaboration is providing a welcome and necessary platform for overcoming this challenge. Kudos to the foresight and passion of Dr. O'Keefe for recognizing how important it is for oral healthcare providers to be able to have these resources at their fingertips. Therese Long and the OSAP board members are to be commended for their generosity and willingness to share their resources from the culture of safety they have developed tirelessly over many years. I extend my gratitude to both groups for including me in this bold, exciting co-operative adventure."
To learn more about the resources available from JCDA, visit www.jcdaoasis.ca.
For the latest infection control information, guidelines and resources, visit www.OSAP.org.
About OSAP
The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention is the world’s leading membership association exclusively dedicated to preventing disease transmission and ensuring the safe delivery of oral healthcare for all. As a non-profit organization, OSAP helps dental practitioners close the gap between policy and practice. Its members include dental and other healthcare professionals, consultants, researchers and non-governmental organizations, manufacturing and distribution companies, policy makers and academia.
