Imagine stepping out of dental school, full of clinical knowledge, but you’re going into the operatory alone for the first time. The transition from academia to real-world dentistry is thrilling yet daunting, filled with unforeseen challenges in patient management, practice administration, and clinical decision-making. This critical phase, if unsupported, can overwhelm even the most promising dental professionals. Structured mentorship, therefore, emerges not merely as an ideal but as a professional necessity—essential for nurturing clinical competence, emotional resilience, and career satisfaction.1
The vulnerable first year
The first year in practice exposes new dentists to distinct vulnerabilities. Facing challenges that can profoundly affect their careers. Research shows that structured mentorship can significantly alleviate stress and feelings of inadequacy, helping these budding professionals thrive.2 This disconnect between academic theory and clinical realities underscores a crucial need for mentorship.3 Without mentorship, new graduates can feel isolated and overwhelmed, risking burnout and professional disillusionment.4
Structured mentorship in other professions
Canada’s dental profession stands uniquely isolated without a mandated post-graduation mentorship period. Contrast this with Canadian lawyers, who complete a mandatory year of articling, and physicians, who undergo structured residencies. These frameworks provide critical experiential learning, mentorship, and professional oversight, easing the transition into independent practice. Such models highlight a systemic opportunity for dentistry in Canada to offer similar robust supports.
Learning abroad: Scotland’s Vocational Training Program
Scotland’s Dental Vocational Training (DVT) program sets the gold standard! Managed by NHS Education for Scotland, DVT mandates a structured one-year, salaried mentorship under experienced clinicians. With clearly outlined learning outcomes, regular assessments, and a national curriculum emphasizing reflective practice and patient-centered care, the DVT model consistently yields improved clinical confidence, reduced early-career attrition, and enhanced patient care quality.5 Canada can take a page from this playbook, adapting its core principles, structured mentorship, accountability, and national oversight, to create a supportive environment for our new dentists.6
Watch related video: Mentoring the next generation of dentists | Weekly Wisdom
The Canadian landscape: Fragmented and informal
In Canada, mentorship initiatives—such as those offered by the Royal College of Dentists, Dalhousie University, provincial dental associations, and specialty networks like Women in Dentistry—primarily address psychosocial aspects of early professional life. While valuable, these programs often lack integration with daily clinical practice and vary greatly in consistency and availability, leaving gaps in practical support and hands-on learning.7
The unique role of dental networks and DSOs
Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) and large practice networks hold unique potential to bridge these gaps. With existing infrastructure and experienced clinicians, DSOs can facilitate structured mentorship programs that closely mirror formal residency experiences. By embedding mentorship into clinical workflows, these organizations can significantly enhance new dentists’ clinical proficiency and professional confidence. However, to maximize effectiveness, mentorship programs must prioritize educational outcomes and ethical practice alongside operational efficiency.
Why chairside mentorship matters
Dentistry fundamentally relies on apprenticeship-style learning. Essential skills—judgment, patient communication, and adaptability—are most effectively learned chairside. Hands-on mentorship allows experienced dentists to transmit invaluable tacit knowledge, significantly accelerating new graduates’ development. The benefits extend beyond technical skills, fostering resilience, professional identity, and a supportive culture that combats burnout and promotes retention.8
Toward a national mentorship strategy
Canada must consider developing a national mentorship framework collaboratively involving dental regulators, academic institutions, professional associations, and DSOs. Essential elements of such a framework should include:
- Incentives for experienced clinicians to mentor, like continuing education credits or tax benefits.
- Best practice guidelines for in-clinic mentorship.
- A structured curriculum and evaluation tools tailored for new graduates.
- Support for innovative public-private partnership models involving DSOs and community clinics.
In the long term, Canada should explore the potential of a national vocational or residency year, inspired by the successful Scottish model!9
Addressing barriers and next steps
Adopting structured mentorship faces predictable challenges, including funding, regulatory alignment, and potential resistance from stakeholders. A practical first step could involve pilot projects in collaboration with provincial dental associations and DSOs, showcasing tangible benefits and gathering crucial feedback from mentors, new dentists, and patients. Gradual expansion and consistent stakeholder engagement will be vital for long-term success and acceptance.
Conclusion
The significance of mentorship in dentistry cannot be overstated, particularly during the critical first year of practice. Without structured, firsthand guidance, new dentists may find themselves overwhelmed by the complexities of their profession, impacting their confidence, competence, and overall well-being. Canada must transition beyond informal, volunteer-driven approaches and embrace mentorship as a professional standard. By investing in national mentorship programs, regulatory incentives, and the strategic leadership provided by DSOs, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to empower every new dentist with the support they need to flourish.
Acknowledgement: The authors thank Daniel Argyropoulos who contributed to the editing of this article.
References
- Girod S. The vital role of mentors and networking in the professional growth of dentists and oral-maxillofacial surgeons. J Academy Dent Educ. 2023;9:43-5.
- Royal College of Dentists of Canada. Mentorship Program. 2025.
- Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry. What’s new with the Dentistry Mentorship Program. 2016.
- NHS Education for Scotland. Dental Vocational Training Curriculum. November 2024.
- Clarkson J, Turner S. Dentistry in Scotland: challenges and opportunities. Br Dent J. 2024;236(3):119–121.
- Bonetti D, Young L, Rennie J, Clarkson J. Evaluating dental vocational training: how does Scotland compare to the rest of the UK? Br Dent J 2008;204(4):195-202.
- Women in Dentistry Mentorship Program. 2024.
- Ali K, Tredwin C, Kay EJ, Slade A, Pooler J. Preparedness of dental graduates for foundation training: a qualitative study. Br Dent J 2014;217(3):145-149
- Khehra A, Steinberg N, Levin L. The role of educators, mentors, and motivation in shaping dental students to become life-long learners: A pan-Canadian survey. J Dent Educ 2022;86(7):481-489.
About the authors
Julian Perez is Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at dentalcorp, where he oversees legal, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and enterprise risk functions to support practices in the delivery of optimal patient care. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a JD from Columbia University’s School of Law.
Dr. Gary Glassman graduated from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry in 1984 and was awarded the James B. Willmott Scholarship, the Mosby Scholarship and the George Hare Endodontic Scholarship for proficiency in Endodontics. In 2024 he was awarded the Award of Merit from the Ontario Dental Association in recognition for his exceptional contributions to the field of dentistry.
