VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The rush for passports to meet new American requirements for all air travel between the US and Canada has had an impact on the 1700 dental practices around British Columbia. The link? Each passport application must be signed by a guarantor who can confirm the person?s identity, and with the long term relationship that patients have with their dentists, there has been a steady demand for this service in dental offices since late 2006.

This is a trust that the Government of Canada has placed with specific professionals such as dentists, and we must take that seriously,? said Dr. Tony Gill, president of the British Columbia Dental Association. As such, he notes that dentists generally act as a guarantor for regular patients of record whom they have known for over two years.

To simplify the procedure, Gill suggests patients phone their dental office in advance before bringing in their applications. In some cases, they may be asked to drop the application form off for the dentist to complete at a less busy time. Photos should be attached to the form and they should be filled out to the best of the patient?s ability.

The flood of requests is not expected to last much longer but with this new US initiative, and the potential for this requirement to expand to ground and sea travel, dentists expect to see higher volumes than in past years.

SOURCE: British Columbia Dental Association

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