Message from the Dental Alumni Association

It has been six months since we were presented with the worldwide challenge of COVID-19. We can look back now and remember how, as science-based healthcare providers, we scrambled to understand how this virus would affect our ability to provide oral healthcare to our patients. Relatively few studies were specific to dentistry and our unique work environment.

Our colleagues, many of them University of Alberta School of Dentistry alumni, were there on the front lines helping to understand the precautions we needed to take to safeguard our patients, our teams and ourselves. Dental colleagues worked together with medical research colleagues to build our knowledge base.

I am so proud of our profession for providing the essential oral healthcare our patients needed. Fear of the virus was slowly replaced by a respect for and an understanding of how it operated and what we needed to do to manage risk.

The pandemic is far from over. However, in the past six months, we have replaced fear with vigilance, knowledge and cautious optimism. As society begins to return to a new normal, we are adapting to our changing world. The School of Dentistry will still provide students with one of the finest educations in the world. They will adapt and change some of their processes — but the commitment to high-quality education has not changed. The calibre of the teaching and clinical staff will remain amazing, even behind all that PPE!

Your Dental Alumni Association (DAA) must also determine how it can continue to provide all the opportunities it has in the past for you, the Alumni and soon-to-be Alumni: creating events where we can reconnect with each other, opportunities for alumni to support the amazing learners in the School of Dentistry and methods to recognize outstanding contributions by alumni.

How does the DAA fit into your professional lives and add value for you? How does the DAA create avenues for you to re-engage with the School of Dentistry and give back of your skills, passion and enthusiasm? All these questions and more form the fantastic challenge and opportunity that face the DAA in our new world.

I’ve had the distinct privilege of being President of the DAA for the past two years. Thank you to the Board for the opportunity! A special thank you to Dr. Bill Sharun (who was President before me) for giving me the nudge to take a turn at the helm.

I’m so excited to see where new leadership will take our beloved association over the next two years and beyond! I encourage any of you who want to be involved in all the great new stuff to come to get in touch. Reach out and take a turn helping your DAA get bigger and better.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to my fellow University of Alberta School of Dentistry alumni for allowing me the privilege to serve you. I enjoyed getting to know so many of you over the past two years. I look forward to reconnecting with you at future events. I wish you and your families health and happiness.

Dr. Mintoo Basahti

Class of 1988 President, DAA