Grants and Contributions:

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Title:

Project dentalGUARD: Securing Canada's Oral Healthcare Sector Through Advanced Cyber Resilience Training

Agreement Number:

26479

Agreement Value:

$300,000.00

Agreement Date:

Mar 4, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026

Description:

Project dentalGUARD is a 10-month national initiative led by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) to strengthen the cyber resilience of Canada’s oral healthcare sector. Its mission is to safeguard the personal health information of millions of Canadians by addressing rising cyber threats impacting 26,000 dental clinics and over 100,000 professionals.

Organization:

Public Safety Canada

Expected Results:

The proposed outcomes are directly linked to the activities outlined in our Project Workplan and are designed to address the demonstrated need for enhanced resilience in the dental sector. Outcome 1: Increased Cyber Resilience and Skills within the Canadian Dental Community.

Outcomes Phase 1:
1.Development of sector-specific training content (4 videos, 10 micro-lessons).
2.Deployment of this content via the engaging Lümee platform.
3.A national recruitment campaign led by the CDA.

Outcomes Phase 2:
1. The documented rise in attacks on healthcare SMEs (CCCS, 2025-26 NCTA) demonstrates a clear skills gap. By creating and delivering targeted, practical training on threats like ransomware and phishing, we directly equip dental professionals with the specific skills needed to defend their practices and patient data, thereby achieving increased resilience.
2. A Validated, Replicable Model for Securing National Professional Associations.

Outcomes Phase 3 & 4:
1. The formal partnership structure between the CDA (a national non-profit) and Awee (a technology provider).
2. The systematic measurement of user engagement and knowledge improvement throughout the project.

Outcomes Phase 5
1. The government's National Cyber Security Strategy calls for innovative "public-private partnerships." This project operationalizes that strategy. By documenting our methodology and results in a final report, we create a proven, scalable blueprint that other national associations can replicate to secure their own members, addressing the need for effective, sector-wide resilience models.

Location:

Ottawa, Ontario, CA K1G 3Y6

Reference Number:

088-2025-2026-Q4-00171

Agreement Type:

Grant

Report Type:

Grants and Contributions

Recipient Type:

Not-for-profit organization or charity

Recipient's Legal Name:

Canadian Dental Association

Federal Riding Name:

Ottawa South

Federal Riding Number:

35080

Program:

(CSCP) Cyber Security Cooperation Program

Program Purpose:

The program provides time-limited funding in the form of grants and contributions. Funding under the CSCP supports projects that contribute to security and prosperity in the digital age while positioning Canada as a global leader in cyber security.