Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 3

DENTAL DIGEST D ifficult conversations with colleagues and staff are a fact of life in any profession, and dentistry is no exception. Dealing with differences in opinion, gaps in expectation, and handling disciplinary or underperformance issues are all part of what it takes to manage your practice. How can we better prepare ourselves for these awkward moments of conflict, and what, specifically, can we learn from the art of theatre and improvisation? Hartley Jafine is a drama and improv teacher who works with medical and dental students on how to better conduct difficult conversations. In conversation with CDA Oasis, he explains that by studying the principles of how an actor prepares for a role, we can approach difficult conversations from a position of understanding and therefore better recognize the other party’s perspective. Theatre and Improv: Lessons for Helping with Difficult Conversations 3-Minute Thesis Competition T he University of Toronto (U of T) faculty of dentistry held its 3-minute thesis competition on the CDA Oasis platform in February. The 3-minute thesis is an internationally recognized research communication competition where participants have 3 minutes to deliver a compelling synopsis of their research to a lay audience, using a single static slide. The concept originated at the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2008, and is now held at over 200 universities worldwide, including U of T. New Registrar in Saskatchewan D r. Gerry Uswak is the new registrar for the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CDSS). Dr. Mitch Taillon, former CDA president who had been serving as associate registrar, retired in April. Dr. Uswak has practised primarily hospital-based pediatric dentistry. As well, he served as CEO of the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Authority. He is past-president of the Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry. Dr. Uswak also served as dean of the University of Saskatchewan college of dentistry. The CDSS also announced the appointments of Jerod Orb as chief executive officer and Gord Gillespie as council chair. The 14 candidates from a variety of postgraduate U of T programs competed in the opening heats of the competition, which can all be viewed on CDA Oasis at: bit.ly/3dQWYLv “Training to understandwhat a character is fighting for gives you insight into what they want in a scene. By engaging in this way, you can recognize their perspective and how that perspective aligns with yours,” says Jafine. Visit CDA Oasis to learn more: bit.ly/3noKxdd Visit: saskdentists.com Dr. Gerry Uswak 21 Issue 3 | 2021 |