Is driving a fancy car, owning a boat, or having more romantic prospects — thanks to the lucrative status of being a dentist — signs that you’ve reached the pinnacle of success after 40 years in the field? Dr. Bruce Ward, president-elect of the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), says no.
During his welcome speech at the Canadian Dental Student Conference (CDSC), held on Jan. 10–11 at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver and attended by 387 students, Ward emphasized the true markers of success.
“I always tell first-year UBC students that success in dentistry isn’t measured by material achievements like planes, boats, or multiple homes,” said Ward, who works at a Vancouver clinic and teaches at UBC. “Instead, success is about earning the respect of your staff, peers, and patients. If you retire after 40 years with their respect, you’ve succeeded. If you lose the respect of any one of those groups, it could indicate a failed career.”
Ward highlighted the importance of networking and relationship-building as cornerstones of success. He co-founded the Federation of Canadian Dentistry Student Associations (FCDSA) to foster connections among students.
“As president-elect of the CDA, I’ll be taking over in May, and I want to stress how essential conferences like this are for building your professional network,” he said. “Dentistry isn’t just about technical skills — it’s about relationships.”
The FCDSA, established in 2017, represents student associations from Canada’s 10 accredited DDS/DMD programs. Its cornerstone event is the biannual CDSC.
“These conferences are about building relationships and learning to communicate better with patients and peers,” Ward added. “Please take advantage of that.”
Peter Barry, founder of Practice Master, a boutique coaching firm, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the value of soft skills and early career planning.
“Develop an emotional relationship with your future now to gain a sense of direction,” Barry advised. “Plant seeds in your heart now that you can nurture over time.”
Lectures, workshops, booths
During the two-day conference, students had access to booths, including one from Oral Health Group, showcasing offerings from accountants, recruitment agencies, banks and suppliers of dental products.
Most importantly, they attended lectures lined up for them, mainly revolving around dentistry. Some sessions offered financial and recruitment tips to help students kickstart their careers after graduation.
Two of Oral Health Group’s 23-member board of directors, who also write clinical features for the magazine, presented lectures and workshops. Dr. Gary Glassman delivered two lectures and two workshops on endodontics, while Dr. Mark Lin presented a lecture and workshop on prosthodontics. Both are respected experts and regular contributors to Oral Health Group, offering invaluable guidance to attendees.
Dr. Sanjukta Mohanta, also a regular contributor to Oral Health, presented a lecture on treating medically compromised patients.
Western University leads attendance
Western University led participation with 89 attendees, mostly third- and fourth-year students, followed by the University of British Columbia with 55 students. Attendance from other schools included Alberta (54 students), Manitoba (51), Saskatchewan (45), Dalhousie (37), Toronto (27), McGill (10), Montreal (10), and Laval (9).
About the author
Dina Al-Shibeeb is the online editor for Oral Health Group, with a strong background in both international and local journalism. An award-winning journalist, she has covered financial news and Ontario municipal affairs. She has a passion for health, storytelling, and data journalism, with a focus on the dental industry and healthcare policy.