Penny Hatzimanolakis, BDSc 2004; MSc 2009, is an oral health practitioner, business owner and Lecturer at UBC Dentistry, all while working towards her PhD. We connected with Penny to learn more about her unique career and passion for the dental hygiene profession.
What inspired you to become an oral health practitioner?
I am a first-generation immigrant to Canada and come from a Greek family, so visiting the dentist was never a priority. All my baby teeth had cavities—I never smiled, and I was always in pain. A dental nurse came to my school and made me feel like none of this was my fault. That memory is ingrained in my mind. From then on, I always wanted to serve people and make others feel the same way she made me feel.
After completing your BDSc, you did a Master of Science in Craniofacial Science. What was the focus of your thesis?
I was studying photodynamic therapy and whether it can be used to treat advanced periodontal disease to prevent patients from losing their teeth and staying as healthy as possible. It’s a multi-factorial disease, and I found using photodynamic therapy in combination with other therapies was effective.
Do you have a favourite memory of your time spent at UBC Dentistry?
A memorable experience was during the pandemic when we had to adapt to new protocols and online teaching quickly. It was challenging, but it also showcased the resilience of our faculty and students. How we supported each other during that time reinforced the strength of the UBC Dentistry community.
How did it feel to receive the BCDHA’s Barbara J. Heisterman Award, given to individuals who have positively impacted the profession through their commitment to enhancing the knowledge and motivation of others?
It’s heartwarming to know my colleagues feel I’m doing something of service—that’s so much more important to me than winning. The award is just the cherry on top!
Tell us about your new practice.
I opened Elevate Oral Health Centre one year ago in West Vancouver. We take a holistic approach to care for our patient’s oral health—it’s not just about cleaning. It’s also about seeing if there are any risk factors for dental diseases and systemic concerns and what can be done to be preventative. We work with many disciplines, including nutritionists, mental health practitioners, and others, because we know that what happens in your mouth affects the entire body.
What else are you up to these days?
I’m in my second year of a doctorate in policy and curriculum with UBC’s Faculty of Education. I’m always striving to learn more. My thesis focuses on academic ableism, which assumes that a “willing, capable, and able” worker must consistently excel at everything. This creates an intensely high-pressure work environment. This normalization of relentless activity and perfectionism in academic (dental education) and professional settings, like dentistry, can foster stress and conflict and perpetuate systemic inequities, especially for those with disabilities (apparent or not).