Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 1

22 | 2020 | Issue 1 N ews and E vents “So, it’s important for our organizations to reflect our membership,” she says. “We have a diverse membership and we need that represented at all levels of leadership.” Dr. Habsha shared the stage with Dr. Tomkins that evening and answered questions from the audience about how to manage a family and a successful career. “She’s a prosthodontist and a mother of four,” says Dr. Tomkins. “And so young women dentists were very interested in knowing how they could combine various career paths with a good family life.” Students wanted to know when it was smart to work as an associate and when to buy a practice. Female dental students have been historically under- represented in Canadian dental schools, but women in today’s graduating classes are now in the majority, and women in dentistry have much to gain by sharing knowledge and experiences together. “In 1984, when I first became an associate at my practice in Newcastle, Ontario, a local paper wrote that ‘Newcastle now has a lady dentist’,” recalls Dr. Tomkins. “A female dentist setting up a practice in town would not be headline news today.” The symposium has grown larger and larger each year. Originally, it was an evening event with a few speakers, including specialists who would lecture on their specialty. As well, there was a speaker who wasn’t necessarily a dental professional but had a relevant message for female clinicians. This year, the symposium’s 10th anniversary, it will be a full-day event. The goal of this year's symposium is to provide relevant and practical pearls of wisdom for every day clinical practice. “Dr. Lesley David is the program chair,” says Dr. Habsha. “She’s put together a really wonderful lineup of speakers both Canadian and international.” Television personality Adrienne Gold will give the keynote address. The organization does more than events to reach and include female dental professionals beyond those who can travel to Toronto. It hosts resources on its website and is a locus for social media conversations among women in dentistry across the country. a I wanted to emphasize with dental students how important it is for young women dentists to become involved in their local associations and societies when they’re looking for mentors.” – Dr. Lynn Tomkins (c.), CDA Board of Directors