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l-r: Dr. Ben Davis, Stacy Bryan, Dr. Rick Raftus, Dr. Curtis Gregoire聽 聽 聽 (Photos by Kathy MacFarlane)

Early in the new academic year, faculty and staff gather at the annual Dean鈥檚 Welcome Reception to greet students and welcome them to the Faculty of Dentistry. It is also an opportunity to explain to students with some solemnity the expectations placed on them as new oral health professionals.

On the evening of August 26, this year鈥檚 keen-eyed new dental hygiene and dentistry students gathered on level 1 of the Dentistry Building to meet their new professors and learn what it means to be a professional.

Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Dr. Ben Davis, welcomed students to a "supportive community" of faculty, staff, and upper year students who want them all to learn and succeed.

Learning to become an oral health professional is not easy, he said. "It鈥檚 a combination of didactic learning, hand skills, and patient care. Not every day will be a good day."

He urged students to co-operate rather than compete before turning to the topic of ethics and professionalism. "Even as first-year student, the public already views you as health-care professionals and they expect you to be ethical and professional in every aspect of your life, inside and outside the Dentistry Building."

Stacy Bryan, registrar of the newly renamed Nova Scotia Regulator of Dental Hygiene, Dental Technology, and Denturism (NSRDHDTD), said that professionalism, ethics, strong communication skills, and a commitment to continuous professional learning are "essential for remaining a successful, competent, and caring professional throughout your career." She added that she hoped students would consider practising in Nova Scotia.

Dr. Curtis Gregoire spoke next as the deputy registrar of the Nova Scotia Regulator of Dentistry and Dental Assisting (NSRDDA), formerly the NS Provincial Dental Board. He explained the role of the NSRDDA in ensuring that only qualified individuals are licensed to be dentists and dental assistants and that they provide competent, safe, and ethical dental care.

He said that the complaints the NSRDDA deals with are chiefly "rooted in communication issues" and urged students to remember the "foundational principle" of establishing respect and trust with their patients at the same time as mastering technical skills.

The final speaker of the evening, Dr. Rick Raftus, spoke on behalf of the American College of Dentists. The core purpose of the ACD, Raftus explained, is to advance ethics, professionalism, leadership, and excellence and he recommended its Ethics Handbook for Dentists as a resource (digital copies are available). He also encouraged students to consider joining the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association (SPEA) in years three and four of their dentistry programs and to attend the annual meeting.