Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 5

Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration In 2014, the dental school at Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences and the dental school at U of T created a partnership under the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration umbrella. The program provides training support to undergraduate dental students in Ethiopia. In 2019, U of T faculty shared expertise and education in periodontology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, and preventive and restorative dentistry. To learn more about the program visit: taaac.com/dentistry and visit CDA Oasis at bit.ly/3gwASiw Balancing Two Passions With his thesis finished, he was ready to travel. “And then travel wasn’t possible because of the pandemic,” says Dr. Cassim. In January, he delivered the pediatric dentistry curriculum he’d designed to students in Addis Ababa virtually. “It’s always tougher online, but it was great that we could pivot.” He hopes to go in person once that it is possible again. In June 2021, Dr. Cassim graduated with his Master’s degree. He works one day a week in a staff position at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital and two days in private practice. During the fall semester, he’ll begin work as an assistant professor in the teaching stream in the pediatric dentistry department at U of T. “I’m passionate about clinical dentistry, but I’m also passionate about teaching,” he says. “I want to do research and push the boundaries of what teaching in dentistry can be.” He says that Dr. Rosenbloom has been an inspiration because he provides clinical care that informs his teaching as well as being deeply involved in global health initiatives. “He’s very energized and passionate about all his work,” Dr. Cassim says. “He is very invested in his students, which has made a difference in our lives.” Dr. Cassim also credits Dr. Dempster for showing him what paths were open to him in his dental career. She made the academic path seem possible, especially now that there are faculty jobs that focus on teaching, rather than research. “I admire the way she teaches,” he says. “In her classes, students do role-play scenarios to practice communication skills.” When Dr. Cassim talks about educating the next generation of dentists, his voice is full of energy. “I wish I could tell the nervous dental student that I was eight years ago that it would be possible to combine health care with teaching in a way that is fulfilling, that the path existed that would lead me here.” Once again, he wakes up in the morning excited to go to work. With fellow dental residents at the Hospital for Sick Children inToronto. 33 Issue 5 | 2021 | Issues and People