Advocacy
Advocacy and government relations is a critical function in CDHA’s efforts to influence the public
policy space with an
emphasis on advancing the national impact of the dental hygiene profession and improving access to
preventive oral
health care for people in Canada.
As a non-partisan organization, our work to communicate with and influence key decision-makers and relevant
stakeholders
brings forward the vital role and contributions of dental hygienists. The profession can be seen working
across practice
settings in support of the health and well-being of people in Canada, and the capacity of our health system.
At the federal level, much of CDHA’s advocacy activities and approaches directed at members of Parliament and
senators
and their staff, other elected or appointed representatives, employees in federal departments and agencies,
and other
policy stakeholders entail a combination of:
- positioning our views and policy recommendations in letters, government submissions, statements, and
briefs
- conducting outreach to and meetings with decision-makers and relevant stakeholders
- participating in public and stakeholder consultations on government and parliamentary studies, programs,
and research
- liaising with senior representatives connected to federal departments, other dental professional
associations,
administration, research, education, regulation, relevant governing bodies, and others
- engaging in strategic partnerships and affiliations with relevant stakeholders connected to the broader
health system
- developing and sharing tools and resources to support members and oral health champions speaking with a
collective
voice
- monitoring ever-changing political and policy environments to evaluate their impacts on dental hygiene
and to identify
policy windows aligned with government priorities
CDHA files registrations and reports pertaining to our federal lobbying activities with the Office of the Commissioner
of Lobbying of Canada.
Connect with us at advocacy@cdha.ca.
Our Focus
CDHA’s advocacy and government relations work for the dental hygiene profession and people in Canada
addresses a range
of important issues tied to improving access to preventive oral health care, promoting the importance of
oral health for
overall health, optimizing Canada’s health workforce capacity, informing government policies and spending,
and more.
Continue
reading.
Resources
Our collection of backgrounders, statements, and articles will help our oral health champions and advocacy
targets with
understanding CDHA’s insights and recommendations for how governments, health system decision-makers, and
relevant
stakeholders can contribute to advancing oral health in public policies. Continue
reading.
Partners for Impact
In addition to advocating on specific issues related to the dental hygiene profession, CDHA is also actively
engaged in
strategic partnerships and relationships with several organizations, coalitions, and researchers towards
impacting
federal policy issues of aligned interest within the broader health sector. Learn
more.
CDHA on Parliament Hill
Our annual tradition of heading to Parliament Hill is a cornerstone government relations activity to advocate
for a
greater focus on preventive oral health care and to generate support from oral health champions. While CDHA
undertakes
advocacy and government relations activities consistently throughout the year, this one-day lobbying event
in Ottawa is
an important opportunity for CDHA’s board and staff to inform and educate members of Parliament, senators,
and other key
political decision-makers. The event also aims to raise the profile of the dental hygiene profession and to
build
awareness of the issues of importance to CDHA members. Over the years, CDHA’s annual lobby days on
Parliament Hill have
proven to be a successful event and will continue to be a main priority in our ongoing work. Learn
more.