The 8th annual Women in Dentistry Symposium was on Tuesday, May 15th. The night is an opportunity for women throughout dentistry to network, learn and share experiences. Hosted by Dr. Effie Habsha, founder of Women in Dentistry, the event aims to instill a balance of work and life for female dental professionals.
The basement of Cibo Wine Bar was packed with energetic women (and a few men). After a reception of networking and refreshments, the women of all ages and from all areas of the industry gathered as the speakers began. Effie began the night, introducing the Symposium and beginning her session. As a prosthodontist in Toronto (along with a resume of many other titles), Effie spoke about current technologies in prosthodontics, giving her experience working with a variety of digital tools.
Next up was Dr. Lesley David, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Lesley tackled the ‘F’ word: Failure. Instead of taking her case failures and allowing them to stall her progress as an oral surgeon, Lesley uses her experiences to grow her career. A valuable lesson for all women in work and life, this session perfectly captured the essence of the evening.
Dr. Sally Safa, a practicing periodontist, was set to discuss soft tissue grafting and the wide range of ideas that can be formed on a case. Which technique to use, why to use it, who picks what – there are many options available to periodontists in every case, so Sally took the group through them, explaining diagnosis and treatment plans, and offering food for thought when approaching a case.
Elyte Barzilay, a registered holistic nutrition and integrative nutrition health coach, ended the night discussing how to develop a nutrition protocol for patients. Patients are often encouraged to eat soft foods after procedures, but without much guidance on how to achieve this. Elyte walked through basic nutrition and how to help patients plan their diet after a treatment.
By the end of the night, not only was the room just as lively as when the women had first entered, there was a sense of accomplishment and pride throughout the room. With a promise to continue to grow for the May 2019 Women in Dentistry Symposium, and a hint at big surprises for the 10th annual event in 2020, Women in Dentistry left the women feeling empowered, encouraged and engaged with their industry. OH
