November 21, 2024 - Ottawa, ON: Today, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) received a gold global Facilitation Impact Award in recognition of its strategic planning process, which led to the creation of Forward Focus: Strategic Plan 2024-2029—the Association’s first strategic plan. The award was given by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), a global community of facilitators that promotes excellence in using professional group process facilitation to create engagement and impact.
“CDA is honoured to receive the 2024 global Facilitation Impact Award,” says Dr. Bruce Ward, CDA Vice-President and former Chair of the Strategic Planning Working Group. “The process of developing our strategic plan was an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ one. Together, we worked with our key stakeholders and received valuable insights from provincial and territorial dental associations, CDA staff, and our Board of Directors, and they all helped shape the plan and ensured that it aligns with the needs and expectations of those we serve.”
Forward Focus: Strategic Plan 2024-2029—a dynamic roadmap designed to guide CDA into the coming years—outlines three primary priorities to guide our work, namely:
- Trusted Voice: Be the national voice for dentists to the public, federal government, and stakeholder organizations.
- Member Support: Contribute to the ongoing success of CDA corporate members— provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs)—and dentists.
- Strong Profession: Advance the dental profession to improve the oral and overall health of all people living in Canada.
This award underscores the strength of CDA’s facilitation process in developing Forward Focus.
“As a neutral facilitator, we provided structured expertise to gather diverse input, ensuring credibility and enhancing engagement from all stakeholders,” says Ms. Nora Sheffe, President, CEO and lead facilitator of Sheffe Consulting. “This collaborative approach allowed CDA to finalize a strategic plan that reflects shared goals and broad support across the organization and its members.”
As the national voice of dentistry, CDA’s strategic plan, Forward Focus, reinforces the organization’s commitment to exceptional advocacy for enhanced access to oral health, providing exceptional practice support for its Corporate Members and dentists, and facilitating proactive engagement on pan-Canadian issues impacting dentistry.
“Having a strategic plan is essential for good governance,” says CDA CEO, Dr. Aaron Burry. “The facilitation process guided us in defining our new mission, vision, and key priorities for the years ahead. This plan provides CDA with a strong framework for effective operations, ensuring accountability not only to our Board but also to our stakeholders.”
Click here to learn more about the Facilitation Impact Awards and 2024 awardees.
About the Canadian Dental Association
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is a trusted national voice for dentists and leader working to improve the oral health of all people living in Canada. We promote oral health, support our members, and advance the dental profession. Founded in 1902, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is an association that has no regulatory role. It is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization whose corporate members are Canada’s provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs). CDA represents over 21,000 practising dentists nationwide and is a trusted brand and source of information for and about the dental profession on national and international issues.
About Sheffe Consulting
Sheffe Consulting is a team of professional consultants who take creative problem solving to the next level. Their tailored approaches are as unique as their client base. Since 1998, they've helped hundreds of organizations in a variety of sectors successfully debrief, strategize, plan, lead, meet, and retreat! Using their proven, evidenced-based methodologies, they help organisations unpack and prioritize, debate and dialogue, engage and reflect, collaborate, and craft strategies designed to elevate the work that they do.
Media Contact:
Jeff D’Andrea
Media Relations Specialist
Spécialiste des relations avec les médias
Canadian Dental Association
613-523-7963
media@cda-adc.ca
Nora Sheffe
CEO and Certified Professional Facilitator
Sheffe Consulting
613-884-1290
nora@sheffeconsulting.com
