Internationally trained dentists (ITDs) coming to work and live in Canada bring innovation, diversity and culture to the Canadian workforce (Brown and Raborn, 2001; Hunt 2007). However, successful integration into the Canadian workforce is sometimes not an easy task (Hall et al., 2004).
ITDs face a new health care system with diverse laws and regulations and lack knowledge and experience regarding professional etiquette and oral health care team structure. They may also experience language barriers, cultural disparities, feelings of isolation and the hardships induced by economic realities of practice.
This guide is a general and national-level toolkit that provides a number of resources for internationally trained dentists in Canada. It focuses on the following topics:
- The Canadian health care system
- Federal laws and regulations pertaining to dentistry in Canada
- The organization of dentistry in Canada
- Oral health care teams in Canada
- Effective strategies and knowledge to help mitigate the barriers ITDs face on a day-to-day basis
- Developing communication strategies and accessing resources
- Cultural considerations
- Tips for ITDs to help ease feelings of isolation
- Mentorship opportunities for ITDs in Canada
