University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry

On April 4th, 2009, the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry will hold its Annual Awards of Distinction Gala at the prestigious Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.

The tradition of honouring Alumni who have distinguished themselves in their personal life and professional career continues each year at the Gala. This event also allows the Faculty to recognize individuals from the dental industry that have made remarkable contributions to the Faculty and the dental profession.

This year the Honourees are indeed highly respected individuals in the dental profession and in the community. They include:

Dr. George Zarb, an educator, a mentor and a world-renown implant specialist who is largely responsible for advancing the Science of Implants in North America;

Mr. Cy Elborne, President of Henry Schein Canada, a major supporter and long-time friend of the Faculty of Dentistry and,

Dr. Randy Lang, a clinician, educator, a journal editor and an influential leader of dental profession regulation.

There will also be a tribute to a former Honouree of Distinction recipient, the late Dr. H. Guy Poyton, radiologist, educator and author, for the outstanding support he provided dentistry even after retiring from his faculty position.

As in the past, proceeds from the Gala will fund valuable research projects. This year, funds raised will support the research on Congenital Facial Deformities that is being conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry’s Dental Research Institute.

A common example is the cleft palate. In Canada, 400-500 babies are born with oral clefts each year. This is greater than neural tube defects, Down syndrome or limb deficiency defects. Globally a child is born with an oral cleft approximately every 21/2 minutes. In the US, the lifetime cost of treating children born each year with a cleft lip or palate is estimated to be almost $700 million. While surgery can correct the structural defects, patients still face a lifetime of functional, social and aesthetic challenges. At the Dental Research Institute, research efforts are directed towards understanding why and how these craniofacial clefts occur. Information gained from our studies will contribute ultimately to better diagnosis, design of treatment and prevention. This epitomizes the remarkable advances in dental science that research at this Faculty has championed underscoring the fundraising focus of this year’s Gala:

Research at the Faculty of Dentistry’s DRI touches the lives of so many in our community. The University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry is making a concerted effort to reach out to dentists across the Province to attend the Gala, reconnect with friends, classmates and colleagues, and lend their support to this worthy cause.

The elegant black-tie Gala will feature the outstanding music of George St. Kitts’ Midnite Starr Band as well as a high-end Silent Auction. Past guests have raved about the Gala and the Faculty of Dentistry is confident that this year’s Gala will surpass those of previous years.

Purchase tickets online at: www.utoronto.ca/dentistry/gala or for more information, call: (416) 979- 4940, ext. 1.

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Yesterday they had to live with it, Today we can treat it, Tomorrow we can prevent it

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