The Campaign for Dentistry at the University of Toronto
Table of Contents Dean’s Message
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The Campaign
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Student Support
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Access to Care
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Boundless Opportunity
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Boundless Potential in Oral Health Dentistry and oral health science are now broadly recognized as key drivers of general health and overall quality of life. The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto is an innovation leader in this critical area of human health, with a distinguished history of education and research in dental care. We continue to forge change across the entire landscape of dentistry, helping to usher in new technologies, materials and clinical practices that are rapidly expanding our ability to help patients. From dental implants to biomaterials, from pain relief to molecular biology, from dealing with an aging population to advancing educational methods, and from bone regeneration to stem cell therapy, U of T Dentistry is an engine of boundless health. In many cases, dental procedures can represent a singular turning point in a person’s life in terms of well-being, employability, relationships and self-esteem. At the same time, new challenges such as changing demographics, higher patient expectations, and emerging diseases and policy issues call for nimble, innovative responses.
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Educating tomorrow’s dentists demands a strategy that combines rigorous foundational learning in oral and general health principles with opportunities to develop strong clinical skills across disciplines and the ability to learn throughout one’s career. Students come to U of T for the best preparation and upon graduation, join a global community of 7,700 accomplished alumni with a shared commitment to ethical care, improving oral health for all, and leadership within the profession. However, rising tuition costs at Ontario universities and the costs of studying dentistry in particular are far beyond those experienced by alumni in previous decades. As a result, the Faculty is seeking to expand student awards and scholarships to encourage excellence and ensure that talented students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to pursue dentistry. Affordability is also a critical issue for many members of the communities we serve.
For generations, people unable to afford dental care have come to U of T and found not only relief but often an entirely rejuvenated sense of well-being and outlook on life. Our Access to Care Fund will assist vulnerable patients to follow treatment plans and receive the care they need. Against the backdrop of such clear opportunity, the Faculty of Dentistry is excited to launch our own major fundraising campaign as part of Boundless: the Campaign for the University of Toronto. Strategic giving that supports our students, vulnerable members of our community, and also our faculty and research enterprise will lead to improved health and well-being for Canadians and others around the world. Daniel Haas
BSc 1975, DDS 1979, BScD 1984, PhD 1988 Dean and Professor of Dental Anaesthesia, Arthur Zwingenberger Decanal Chair
Professor Daniel Haas’ research interests include local anaesthesia, sedation and general anaesthesia in dentistry as well as effectiveness and/or potential adverse effects of medications on dental patients.
BoundlessLeadership
“U of T Dentistry has bright students, great faculty, dedicated teaching and support staff, and unparalleled alumni. Together, our potential to advance health is truly boundless.”
The Campaign for Dentistry at the University of Toronto The University of Toronto is proud to be home to a top North American faculty of dentistry. As we educate dentists for tomorrow, we continue our strong tradition of promising research leading to advances in areas such as molecular biology, pain management, biomaterials and bone regeneration that have ramifications across the entire realm of human health. To meet the challenges and opportunities of the changing landscape in oral health, the Faculty of Dentistry is launching
an $18 million campaign as an integral component of Boundless, the University of Toronto’s unprecedented $2 billion campaign. In this document, you will learn about our most immediate priorities: a $5 million component to help students manage the rising costs of dental education and a second, $3 million component, to provide low-income people access to treatment through our dental clinics. A future phase of our campaign will
provide opportunities to support research and new initiatives. We invite you to join with alumni, students, friends and faculty to support this transformative campaign. You can help further our mission to provide national leadership and strive for excellence in dental education and in scholarly activities related to research and clinical care.
Dental student Eli Weitzner with Faculty of Dentistry Associate Dr. Adrianne Schmitt (DDS 1974). Many practicing dentists, like Dr. Schmitt, come to U of T once a week to oversee students in the dentistry clinics. 4
Boundless Promise Undergraduate Student Support There is no better long-term investment in the future of dentistry than an investment in the education of young people at a time of enormous personal growth and discovery. We are committed to supporting qualified students through needs-based awards. As they have always done, our Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) students overcome personal sacrifices and work extraordinarily hard in order to attend the Faculty of Dentistry. The expertise they gain at U of T equips them for careers serving the community as exemplary clinicians, health care providers and in other roles that promote the well-being of patients. However, the barriers to undergraduate dental education are higher than ever. Today’s DDS students face tuitions and fees that are much more expensive than for previous generations. This is a heavy burden
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to bear at the start of a promising career, whether a student chooses to serve the public through private practice or to continue his or her studies to pursue research and teaching. These issues can have long-term negative ramifications for the state of dental care and education, with dental schools across North America already struggling with an acute shortage of faculty. U of T faculty have contributed many discoveries in oral health and clinical practice over the years but dentists are still challenged in many areas, such as how to address nonodontogenic pain. We must ensure that the cost of dental education does not prevent the next generation from discovering the innovations that will help us better serve the needs of our patients. As part of Canada’s leading university, the Faculty of Dentistry shares the U of T pledge that
no qualified student will be forced to decline admission or withdraw from studies due to financial circumstances. In support of this commitment, the University of Toronto recently launched Boundless Promise. This program will match disbursements from new endowed gifts in support of undergraduate financial aid, thus doubling the impact of donations. For example, the creation of a $100,000 endowed fund would typically yield approximately $4,000 in income to support students. Through the Boundless Promise program, the University will match this income, resulting in $8,000 per year available for student support. For new endowed gifts established during our campaign, the University will match this income in perpetuity, providing support for generations of dental students.
Soheil Khojasteh, right, with Kyle Shaw discussing how student awards helped him. The two dental students are co-leaders of Sharing Smiles Day, an annual event that brings dental students together with people with special needs to break down barriers and improve access to treatment.
BoundlessCaring
“Financial aid allows many students to consider higher levels of education despite the high cost associated with certain programs.”
Driving Oral Health Research, Innovation and Education Graduate Student Support Graduate education is critical to the future of dentistry as a profession. Graduate students become educators of new generations of dentists and conduct research that advances oral health. Enabling talented students to pursue graduate education is therefore a priority for the Faculty of Dentistry. The Faculty accepts only those with superior academic achievement and potential to contribute to the academic and professional community of scholars. Our understanding
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is that the exceptional quality of our graduate students is integral to the fulfillment and excellence of our academic and research mission. U of T Dentistry has always attracted strong candidates but competition is increasing from U.S. schools offering more generous funding packages. Fellowships are playing a greater role in securing the most outstanding candidates and ensuring access for qualified students regardless of financial means. These fellowships also play an important role in encouraging
DDS graduates to continue their studies. Pursuing graduate education allows these students to move on to academic careers, which deliver long term health benefits to the general population. Once admitted, graduate students are offered financial support in the form of grants and teaching and research assistantships. To supplement this income and ensure we can retain the best and brightest students, we are seeking permanent sources of funding for graduate fellowships.
Carilynne Yarascavitch, DDS 2004, MSc 2008, PhD candidate
BoundlessInquiry
“Generous scholarship support has allowed me to create new knowledge that can be applied to dental education and clinical practice. My PhD research examining the impact of stress on the management of dental office medical emergencies is being used to guide teaching and assist dental teams to meet the challenges of these rare but critical events.�
Ensuring Access to Care Every year, U of T dentistry clinics provide care for more than 15,000 patients, many of whom would not otherwise receive treatment. This full-service facility helps many marginalized or low-income patients, including seniors and families with children, with much-needed care that protects their overall health, boosts employment prospects and enhances their appearance and selfconfidence. Patients often start with a visit to our emergency clinic to relieve acute pain. As they become regular patients, students can offer them a full range of treatments that can make a tremendous improvement in their oral health.
Surveys have found that 80 per cent of clinic patients do not have dental insurance benefits, with 75 per cent reporting household income under $40,000 and 35 per cent reporting as low as $20,000. While the clinics’ fees are as low as possible, we do charge about half the cost of a regular clinic to defray the costs of appropriate infrastructure for the best possible patient care. Nonetheless, many patients are still not able to afford even these reduced costs. For these patients, the Access to Care
Fund provides financial assistance allowing them to receive treatment. Support for the Access to Care Fund also benefits the educational experience of our students. With more patients able to complete their treatment plans, students have increased clinical opportunities and exposure to more sophisticated procedures. At the same time, students gain experience recognizing financial need and sensitively presenting options, such as the Access to Care program.
From left, Parviz Roshanzamir (DDS 2012) and Faculty Associate William Turner (DDS 1967) with a dentistry clinic patient. 10
Boundless Opportunity The impact of the Campaign for Dentistry at the University of Toronto will be profound, building upon our legacy as the largest school of dentistry in Canada and a leading research institution uncovering new knowledge into oral health and disease. Generous financial support will greatly enhance our special role in creating and translating scientifically based knowledge, in illuminating and responding to key clinical and policy challenges and in preparing the way for the future through the education of clinical practice leaders.
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The benefits of gifts made now will be felt for years to come through the professional, caring and ethical conduct of U of T Dentistry graduates. They join 7,700 alumni worldwide as exemplary clinicians, researchers, teachers and as prominent, engaged citizens both locally and internationally.
We invite our community of generous and visionary supporters to join with us in this historic effort. Together, we will make a powerful difference for the well-being of Canadians and those around the world for generations to come.
Funding Opportunities As part of the Boundless campaign, the Faculty of Dentistry has set a goal of $18 million to expand our leadership in oral health education and research. The initial, primary focus for this effort is $8 million for both student financial support and to assist lowincome individuals to access dental care through our clinics.
Student Support $5 million
Access to Care Fund $3 million
Scholarships and awards will help offset the rising costs of education in dentistry and facilitate graduatelevel education for DDS students who wish to continue their studies and pursue careers as teachers, researchers and other positions within organized dentistry.
Donations to the Access to Care Fund will support costs of dental treatment at U of T’s dentistry clinics for low-income individuals with no other recourse to dental care.
Research Funding Priorities In the next phase of our campaign, the Faculty of Dentistry will broaden our fundraising efforts to include a focus on research innovations in dentistry that have tremendous implications for patient health and well-being. Potential areas of discovery include how to address
nonodontogenic pain; managing dental complications associated with aging; better understanding of the link between systemic disease and oral health; and the use of biomaterials for various treatments. One of the important ways to advance research and teaching in these and other
critical areas is to attract and retain distinguished scholars and teachers. Permanently endowed Chairs may be established and named for $3 million while the establishment and naming of a professorship requires $2 million.
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BOUNDLESS.UTORONTO.CA/DENTISTRY
Office of Advancement University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry, 527 – 124 Edward Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6 Tel: 416-979-4773 EMAIL: susan.alksnis@dentistry.utoronto.ca