Dr. Rosamund Harrison

Dr. Rosamund Harrison, professor and chair of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry, has won the 2010 3M ESPE – ACFD National Dental Teaching Award for her outstanding work in dental education both locally and nationally.

Harrison was instrumental in the development of the combined medical–dental curriculum, serving on the Faculty of Medicine’s planning committee for six years as Dentistry’s representative. Her efforts ensured that Dentistry was not only included in the joint curriculum development process, but respected, and that medical and dental students at UBC would learn about their responsibilities to society as well as to individual patients.

As division chair of Pediatric Dentistry, Harrison also developed a research program in health promotion and access to care. In her groundbreaking studies, she focuses on low-income and new-immigrant communities that have a high rate of cavities in preschool children. To help control this trend, she has promoted accessible, community-based oral health programs for hundreds of babies and toddlers, from South Asians and Vietnamese in BC’s Lower Mainland to Cree in remote Quebec villages. Her grassroots work has made a significant difference in these high-risk groups.

Harrison’s students consider her an exceptional educator, an individual who “models the skills, knowledge and attitudes to which they aspire.” She is able to communicate uncompromising standards while displaying compassion for the stresses and challenges of being a dental student. Despite her busy schedule and heavy workload, students know they can chat with her long beyond the end of a session or drop by her office any time and receive a warm welcome.

The 3M ESPE – ACFD National Dental Teaching Award is presented annually to a faculty member who, in the opinion of his or her students and peers, is an outstanding teacher and displays exceptional interest in the learning needs of students. The award has now been given eight times, and four of the previous winners have come from the UBC Faculty of Dentistry: Dr. Joanne Walton (2002), Prof. Bonnie Craig (2005), Dr. Leandra Best (2007) and Dr. Christopher Clark (2008). Read about UBC’s previous 3M ESPE – ACFD National Dental Teaching Award winners here.

For more information about Dr. Rosamund Harrison, click here.

Read an Impressions (Spring 2009) article about Dr. Rosamund Harrison’s research program in health promotion and access to care:

Read the 2010 3M ESPE – ACFD National Dental Teaching Award announcement on the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry website here.