1. 68 Ontario Dentist • July | August 2013
ODA Member Benefits and Servicesmembers
www.oda.ca/member
Kristin Di Tommaso
Dr. Barnabas Day said it best when he described the
founding members of the Ontario Dental Association
as “hard workers.” In 1866, the Kingston dentist decided
that change was needed for the dental profession in On-
tario. Dr. Day believed that if dental professionals across
the province worked together to create new initiatives for
Ontario dentistry and dental patients, excellent oral health
care would be attained. The dedicated dentist contacted
other professionals in his field and requested that they help
him assemble an organization to achieve his vision. The
eight dental practitioners who responded positively,
formed what became known as the Ontario Dental Associ-
ation. Today members continue to promote what Dr. Day
envisioned by committing themselves to providing qual-
ity dental care for their patients.
Following in the Footsteps of
Dr. Barnabas Day
Dental referral system embodies core values of the Association
But when does good oral health care begin and end?
Many believe it only occurs when patients are in the oper-
atory. However, the ODA’s core mission, as was Dr. Day’s
own philosophy, is much more than dental procedures.
Providing good care means that dental patients are satis-
fied with all aspects of the dental process. For patients, one
part of finding top service is reassurance from their dentist
that all their personal health information stays confidential
and is only accessible by individuals who are a part of their
circle of care. So how does a dental office meet these pa-
tient needs? To start, the office makes sure their patient
records are secure.

2. July | August 2013 • Ontario Dentist 69
Enter the eReferral Pilot. This dental solution is designed
to keep patient health records secure and confidential
when patients are being referred. Since launching in No-
vember 2012, the eReferral Pilot has helped dental offices
and professionals across the nation keep private health in-
formation protected from unauthorized parties. The service
works by providing general practitioners, specialists and of-
fice staff with the ability to create referral cases on an on-
line forum and share relevant information with other
parties who are a part of a patient’s circle of care.
All of this is done in a compliant and secure fashion, and
is free for ODA members. The service includes key features
that make dental referrals faster and easier.
Easy Communication with Dental Professionals
As the number of oral care providers per patient increases,
communication among the attending dentists can become
difficult, and can hinder the quality of care needed to suc-
cessfully treat a patient. The eReferral Pilot reduces this risk
by allowing GPs and specialists access to upload, share and
view patient files with one another.
Meets Canadian Privacy Legislation
Generic file-sharing and secure mail solutions dentists are
currently using for referrals risk access by unknown third
parties. With the eReferral Pilot, user validation is essential.
Users know that the dentists they are sharing patient in-
formation with are members of the ODA or their partici-
pating provincial associations, and must follow Canadian
privacy legislation.
Efficiency in the Dental Office
Efficiency in the dental office is dramatically reduced for
practitioners who still hand-write referrals and send them
by fax or mail. Purchasing stamps, envelopes, and printer
ink, and organizing patient files, means dentists and office
staff are spending too much time and money on referrals
that can be distributed quickly and efficiently with the eRe-
ferral Pilot. This referral solution provides an organized
template for inputting patient information, and an easily
accessible way to view it. The intuitive interface means of-
fice staff can complete referrals quickly, and work on other
demanding tasks.
Security for Patients
It is crucial that oral care providers in Ontario reassure pa-
tients that the distribution of their personal health records
are only accessible to validated parties in their circle of care.
With the eReferral Pilot, patients questioning the referral
process will be comforted in knowing that for the first time,
this solution protects their privacy rights by running on a
secure online forum, only accessible to authorized profes-
sionals.
The key features of the eReferral Pilot covered in this
article are proving to both patients and ODA members that
the eReferral Pilot is the most efficient and manageable way
to provide good oral health care. By transforming the way
dental professionals do business, the eReferral Pilot is
providing users with the quality of care Dr. Barnabas Day
envisioned when he established the association. With the
adoption of this service, current ODA members will
continue to carry on Dr. Day’s vision by becoming com-
mitted advocates of quality oral health-care treatment in
Ontario. I
Kristin Di Tommaso is a third-year student at the University of
Ottawa. She is currently working as a marketing co-op student
at Continovation Services Inc.
To find out more about eReferral, scan the QR code or visit the
ODA member website at www.oda.ca/member and look for
ODA Member Programs in Your Resource Centre.
Members can also contact the eReferral support desk at
1-866-788-1212 or at support@ereferralpilot.ca.
ODA Member Benefits and Services