Vote | Student of Dental Medicine

Ms. Dang is an extremely hard-working student who always arrives well prepared for each session in the pre-clinical laboratory. She is a wonderful student to teach because she asks great questions in order to ensure she understands the material well. During the lab sessions, Ms. Dang is always punctual and well organized, which contributes to her effectiveness in the lab. She is usually the first or second student to complete her daily projects and is extremely open to feedback, which she implements quickly. Ms. Dang truly strives to do her best and sees instructor feedback as a key mechanism to assist her with this. The progression of her work reflects how important she views this feedback. She deserves this award due to her hard-working nature and her drive to excel academically.

Logan has always been a genuinely kind and caring soul. He goes out of his way to help others in every way possible, may this be personally or academically. He is in his first year of dentistry at the UofS where is he committed to his studies and dreams about graduating at the top of his class. Logan even became class president to be able to help and contribute, representing his class and school at a higher level.

Kelly has wanted to be a dentist from a young age. As she pursued her education she worked in the sterilization area of a practice and took the opportunity to learn everything she could from that experience. Kelly is in her last year of dental school and has shown first and foremost how much she cares about her patients, always striving to provide the best treatment outcome for the patient even in non-ideal situations. Kelly will be a credit to the profession, not only because of her clinical skills but because she demonstrates empathy and caring to her patients. These days, this quality is more important than ever!

As a fourth-year dental student, Bhagwanpreet exemplifies the values of leadership, compassion, advocacy through her daily activities in the clinic and beyond. Bhagwanpreet has a strong work ethic, boundless energy, meticulous attention to detail, a high level of personal responsibility, and a desire to improve clinical practice. She is very passionate about serving marginalized populations. Outside of her academic training, she has worked on a dental outreach initiative to improve access to oral health care for underserved populations in Southwestern Ontario and Moose Factory Island in northern Ontario. She has exceeded expectations in her role by preparing proposals for key stakeholders and assessing oral health outcomes and identifying barriers in accessing care for marginalized individuals. Her passion for serving underserved populations also extends outside of the clinic to her research in health inequities faced by Indigenous populations. Bhagwanpreet values the importance of fostering a sense of social responsibility as a healthcare provider, advocating for the needs of vulnerable populations and continuing her learning beyond a school environment.

Having completed a Master of Science in Health Research Methods prior to dental school, Bhagwanpreet appreciates the importance of evidence-based dentistry and incorporating best practices into clinical decision making.

Always striving to have an impact on others, she is leading a calibration project for Smile Shade, an innovative technology for restorative dentistry. During her time in dental school, Bhagwanpreet represented the Faculty of Dentistry at UWO’s University Student Council through her role as Dentistry Councillor. She advocated for the needs of the Faculty of Dentistry and took part in debates regarding university policy, governance and finance. Bhagwanpreet established formal guidelines and a system for dental students to pursue interest groups and extracurricular activities within the Faculty of Dentistry itself. Bhagwanpreet’s work has led to students forming groups based on interests in clinical dentistry, research and wellness that will have lasting roots in the school due to the passion that Bhagwanpreet put into the initiative.

Saif's caring personality is exemplified in his ability to help others. He was eager to help others with dental school interview preparation or those struggling with a course. He spends time between classes tutoring and giving others valuable guidance. Saif not only cares about his mentees, but he also cares about all dental students. He is the current Federation of Canadian Dentistry Student Associations (FCDSA) president. He has advocated for dental students regarding National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) pass rates. He is also orchestrating the 2023 national conference which brings dental students together to meet and develop lifelong relationships.

Madison is going to school at UBC Vancouver to become a dentist. She has worked very hard to get this far and has the courage, attitude and work ethic to be an amazing dentist. She is one of the youngest in her dental class and has accomplished a lot already by doing research and making a new discovery involving DNA, Calcium and possible disruptions in tooth development. While in school she works in a dental office helping with sterilization, chairside assisting, reception and jumping in wherever else she can pitch in. Knowing other duties in the dental office will make her an incredible dentist and team player.

Dmytro is a dental student who truly showcases individuality and responsibility for himself and others around him. Throughout dental school, he has always taken it upon himself to embody responsibility in his pre-clinical and clinical duties. His involvement in both school activities, clinical activities and extra-curricular activities outside of the school exemplify the importance of being responsible when working towards becoming a professional. As a dental student, Dmytro never fails to take responsibility for his actions to ensure the collaborative efforts of dentistry are of a well-balanced nature. By learning from his professors, mentors and peers and sharing this knowledge with other students, Dmytro truly showcases collaboration in the practice of dentistry. When difficulty or complexity of a task presents itself, Dmytro takes on difficulty with grace. Understanding that one must grow and learn from difficulty, Dmytro always considers all perspectives when approaching a challenge. Even if things may present with poor circumstances, he is a student who strives to learn from what he has seen and take the initiative in providing solutions in even dire instances. Getting to know his patients in the clinic in a compassionate manner, Dmytro understands the responsibility of providing patients with the care they truly deserve.

Shirley brings the whole class together. She is the happiest person in the world and it’s contagious. She believe she makes school a better place.