I remain profoundly grateful and humbled to lead a Faculty that has shaped me in so many ways, most importantly through my education. When I graduated from UBC in 1994 with a Master’s in Dental Science, I remember feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment, but I was also anxious about the learning curve ahead. This mix of excitement and apprehension is one of the many reasons why providing a strong educational foundation needs to be paired with nourishing a lifelong connection to the Faculty. Doing so ensures that our graduates continue to receive support as they transition from formal education into practice, allowing them to be the most well-equipped oral healthcare providers in British Columbia and beyond. I am so proud to share that based on the 2025 QS World University Rankings, UBC Dentistry is the highest-ranked dental university in the country!
In this edition of Impressions magazine, we focus on education, highlighting the Faculty’s wide range of outstanding educational programs that have been recognized for innovation in both curriculum design and delivery. As you flip through the pages of this magazine, I hope you spot your fellow alumni and peers, many of whom are highly engaged with our students as clinical faculty. You will also read about how we continue to evolve and strengthen our educational programming to keep pace with the needs of patients, the changing demands of the profession, the expectations of our students and the possibilities enabled by evolving technology.
Our students’ success relies heavily on talented faculty members who are skilled educators and researchers. They provide our students with opportunities to explore and be part of inspiring discoveries. We also offer a variety of community programs, such as the Summer Student Practitioner Program, which places students throughout BC, preparing them to serve diverse populations. Learn about the incredible impact this program is having on students and mentors alike.
The ongoing process of evaluation informs us of our strengths and areas for development. The Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program has completed a comprehensive review of its curriculum and is now incorporating the recommended enhancements. This endeavour aligns well with the continuous improvement processes of our dental hygiene, graduate and post-graduate programs. Curriculum reviews are essential for providing our students with an education that exceeds expectations, as well as oral healthcare and industry standards. In September, the Faculty held the inaugural online workshop, “The Future of Digital Dentistry in Canadian Dental Schools,” led by Mohamed Gebril, MSc Dip Prosthodontics 2019. The workshop brought together dental educators from across Canada to explore the integration, challenges and sustainability of digital workflows in dental education. Read more about this important event.
This past year also saw the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in the UBC Dentistry clinic. This unique opportunity to increase access to oral healthcare for vulnerable populations aligns with the experiential education our students receive. In a purposeful partnership with Health Canada, we have secured funding for strategies that will sustain a continuous flow of patients receiving care in our facilities. The Faculty remains a vital force in advancing oral healthcare for all British Columbians.
Finally, a new Dean search is underway, and I am confident that our next full-term Dean will continue to lead the Faculty with a focus on education so our students will have the tools and experience they need to deliver the best oral healthcare. I look forward to the year ahead and all the exciting opportunities it will bring for learning and growth!
— DR. ANDREA ESTEVES