CDA Essentials 2015 • Volume 2 • Issue 2

7 / 48

7 Volume 2 Issue 2 |
CDA at Work
APowerful Reminder
The events involving a Facebook group
of fourth-year male dental students
at Dalhousie University has affect-
ed many members of our profession
across the country.
As details of the group’s alleged activities emerged,
I read the angry commentaries directed toward
this group of students who foolishly thought that
their degrading comments about women in gen-
eral, and some of their female classmates in par-
ticular, would only be read by fellow members of
the “Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen.” Instead, their
online comments were consumed with great in-
terest by the public and their behaviour widely
condemned.
In short time, the scorn directed towards these
men spread, implicating a wider environment that
supposedly condoned a disrespectful attitude
towards women—be it the faculty of dentistry at
Dalhousie, the university administration, the dental
profession, or society as a whole.
As a dentist and alumnus of Dalhousie’s dental
school, the father of a daughter who graduated
from this same dental school, and as a concerned
member of society, these events troubled me on
many different levels. And the responses I’ve seen
and heard from fellow dentists tell me that it has
also troubledmany of my colleagues (see p. 19).
Although it may be tempting to isolate the
issue by viewing it solely as a concern be-
tween the individual students and their uni-
versity, I believe that avoids the larger issue.
Misogyny exists in our society and becomes
apparent only when revealed in its most egre-
gious forms. It is not confined to predictable en-
vironments or groups.
Certainly, this year’s graduates of Dalhousie dental
school will be collectively associated with these
events—whether they acted dishonourably or
not. However, I trust that the restorative justice
process at Dalhousie is a step in the right direction
towards ensuring a fair, responsible and just pro-
cess for those involved.
How can the profession learn from these events
and move forward? We can all consider and re-
flect on some valuable reminders. It’s a reminder
that all dentists must consider how our individual
actions can reflect on the profession as a whole.
It’s a reminder that in health care, ethical conduct,
trust and professionalism are the cornerstones of
a strong patient–provider relationship. And it’s a
reminder of how quickly this trust can be broken.
Moreover, as a profession we must continue to en-
sure that the principles of ethical behaviour are ef-
fectively ingrained in our first-year dental students,
carried into their professional careers and upheld
as a lifelong virtue. Advancing the profession in-
cludes more than improving one’s clinical skills.
We must all embody a culture of respect in our
relationships with the public, our patients, team
members and colleagues, and respect an individ-
ual’s worth and dignity at all times.
As my time as CDA president comes to a close, I’m
grateful that I’ve had the privilege of meeting and
working with dentists who are caring, respectful
and passionate about their work. Led by their ex-
ample, I’m certain that our profession will emerge
from these events stronger than ever before.
GaryMacDonald, dds
For Our Profession,
From the President