Federal, Provincial and Territorial
Dental Working Group
“Helping Canadians to achieve and maintain optimal oral health”
© Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group
What is the ‘Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group’?
The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group (FPTDWG) was re- constituted as a group in 2000 as a way of connecting dental public health representatives of the Canadian provinces, territories and the federal government in order to discuss areas of mutual concern and to work on projects of a national nature. The group is housed in the Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention and Control Expert Group of the Pan Canadian Public Health Network , reporting to the Network Council which is accountable to the Conference of F/P/T Deputy Ministers.
The purpose of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Dental Working Group is to enhance the effectiveness of public dental programs in order to improve the oral health of Canadians. The FPTDWG members meet periodically to discuss issues of mutual concern and to work on projects of a national nature.
The History of the FPTDWG
The late 1960’s, early 1970’s was a good era for public dental programming in Canada. New children’s dental programs were started in some of the provinces and dental therapy programs in the territories and on crown lands in the provinces. All of the provinces as well as the Government of Canada, had full-time dental directors and these directors met regularly as the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Directors (FPTDD). By the early 1990’s, however, due to cutbacks and political decisions, some of the provinces reduced their programs and many of the dental director positions were eliminated or reduced to part time, and the FPTDD group was abandoned. In 2000 at the initiative of some of the provincial dental directors, the group was re- constituted. Through the efforts of the FPTDD, and other organizations such as the Canadian Dental Association and the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for Canada was created and staffed, initially within Health Canada and later moved to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Provinces and territories that did not have a dental director or consultant were invited to have a representative in the group, and a couple of those provinces later created a Dental Director position. In 2005 the name was changed to the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group.
About the FPTDWG
Federal, Provincial and
Territorial
Dental Working Group
“Helping Canadians to achieve and
maintain optimal oral
health”
© Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group
What is the ‘Federal, Provincial and
Territorial Dental Working Group’?
The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Dental Working Group (FPTDWG) was re-constituted as a group in 2000 as a way of connecting dental public health representatives of the Canadian provinces, territories and the federal government in order to discuss areas of mutual concern and to work on projects of a national nature. The group is housed in the Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention and Control Expert Group of the Pan Canadian Public Health Network , reporting to the Network Council which is accountable to the Conference of F/P/T Deputy Ministers.
