When she is not travelling to beautiful European destinations, Rocchina Testa can be found in her office on the 5th floor. She has been with the Faculty of Dentistry for the last 6 years and with McGill since 1999. She began her time with McGill in the Faculty of Medicine and after two years joined the Financial Services team, where she met her second family. As FST Manager she acts as the researcher’s primary contact for all financial questions and assures that the financial administration is carried out in accordance with the appropriate regulations and guidelines. She tells me that she “always tries to make our Faculty shine within the University!”

Brenna Kaukonen: What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?
Rocchina Testa: I am the first point of contact for the Faculty when it comes to grants, and when requested by the Faculty I also work on operating funds, endowments, awards and financial issues with Financial Services. A big part of my job is to provide support and guidance to researchers on post award financial management, including budgeting, compliance and reporting. I assist researchers to make sure that their obligations and deadlines are respected. I also ensure that best practice and processes are in place to maximize compliance with internal and external policies and regulations. In other words I always try to make our Faculty shine within the University!

BK: What are three words that describe your role?
RT: Compliance, transparency, resourceful

BK: What do you find the most challenging about your position?
RT: The most challenging part of my position is having people understand that without the students and researchers we would all be out of a job!

BK: What do you like most about working in the Faculty?
RT: What I like most about Dentistry is that we are a small Faculty and we have a great research team. (With only 5% of Canadian dentistry professors, McGill carries out 1/3 of all funded research.) We are lucky to have an excellent leader and I believe we lead by example. I also like that the fact that when I started working in Financial Services I met Rosemary and I feel I have come full circle to be working with Rosemary again. Of course, I just love the location and the people. Besides all of the above, I really like that while working in Dentistry I am still in contact with my old colleagues, which makes me feel like I never left my second family over at Financial Services.

BK: If you could switch your job with anyone within the Faculty/University, whose job would you want?
RT: I think it would be Christina Vroom’s position, Associate Director of University Advancement. She never seems stressed, always has a smile on her face and gets people to give her money!! What a job – I am sure there is something I am not aware of!

BK: What career lessons have you learned thus far?
RT: Never make a hasty decision, always have backup, always be a professional at work and always strive for excellence.

BK: Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?
RT: I LOVE Banner! It seems like I’m the only one in the Faculty that does 

BK: Tell us three words that best describe you:
RT: Patient, resourceful and thinking outside the box

BK: Top 3 life highlights?
RT: My granddaughter, Scarlett, of course! Life is made up of so many moments, and only we can make them special. If you want something you must go after it. We should not let them slip through our fingers.

BK: What is on your wish list for the next 10 years?
RT: I hope to continue to provide an excellent service to the Faculty. I’d like to stay in shape. When I retire I’d like to spend more time with my sweet Scarlett and travel Europe. And did I say I would like to win the lottery?!?!

Photo credit: Ioana Dumitru

Nancy Scholefield will be celebrating 14 years with the Faculty of Dentistry in March. She joined McGill after a long career as a flight attendant. Welcoming patients was natural for her after all of her customer service experience. Every day she goes above and beyond her duties as Receptionist to offer a caring environment for patients making them feel at ease. When she is not manning the front desk of the Undergraduate Teaching Clinic she loves to cook gourmet meals, have a glass of wine and travel to warm destinations.  

Tell us a little about yourself.
I have been working for the Faculty of Dentistry coming up on 14 years in March. I come from a background dealing with the public as a flight attendant and a bartender, so the position at the reception seemed like a good fit, with regular hours for once!

I love to cook gourmet meals on weekends, love my wine and enjoy traveling to warm places with a beach. Every summer my other half and I rent a little cottage near Goose Rocks Beach in Maine and indulge in fresh seafood & lobster rolls every day, then try to walk it off on the beach.

What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?
The official name of my position is Receptionist/Accounting Clerk. It sounds easy but being on the front line, greeting people, explaining the way the clinic works, making sure they get in and out safely, and making the patient’s experience a friendly one in a caring environment is not always easy! The sheer volume of the applicants, by phone, mail and fax is so very hard to keep up with. We really are on the front line of the clinic, and help to set the rhythm and the tone.

Before working at McGill, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
Prior to arriving at McGill, I was a flight attendant with an international charter airline, Wardair. Our flights were seasonal: summer was Paris, London , Amsterdam and Frankfurt, winter was Acapulco, Barbados, many other Caribbean destinations and Hawaii, my favourite. Most of the winter flights were turn-arounds (except for Hawaii!), so that meant a lot of return flights on the same day. Sometimes I would leave on a flight and it would turn into a 10 day “trip”, in and out of hotels and between multiple destinations. We called this a round robin. I would get back home, stay for 24 hours and then go back to work and do it all over again. Despite the glamour of the European and Caribbean destinations it is really not easy to fly that much!

When the airline closed its base in Montreal, I became a bartender in the downtown Bishop Street and Mackay Street area. It was a great time! Being in one place for long enough to get a boyfriend, a cat and a plant all at once!!

What do you find the most challenging about your position?
The hardest part of my position here in the clinic is the volume of patients arriving at the same time. It is pretty unique to our clinic as in most offices appointments are staggered throughout the day. We get bombarded in the morning and in the afternoon! Some patients know the names of their students, others are newbies, some are simply in the wrong place – all of this makes it challenging to keep the line moving and direct people to where they are supposed to be in such a short time. Some people get very upset, so trying to deal with their complaints and questions while taking payments from others can get intense and stressful. I try to please everyone, but sometimes that is just not possible.

What has been your favourite project with the Faculty?
This has to be the big move to the new facility. Very difficult, still going through some “growing pains” but ultimately will be so much better in every way. Just looking at the patient’s faces when they come into the new facility, they are usually astounded and ask me all the time how I am enjoying it! I am enjoying it!

A wife and mother of two accomplished daughters, Linda Harrison has earned her bragging rights. She transitioned into a her new career at McGill later in life after starting out as a Dental Assistant and then trained to become a Dental Technician specialising in wax up and gold technician. As the Administrator of the Preclinical Lab, the students affectionately refer to her as “mother” and she says it’s her job to see them rise above and conquer!

What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?
My official title is Administrator of the Pre-clinical Lab, a role that entails preparing for all disciplines of labs taking place in the pre-clinic. Part of my role is to prepare the lab to ensure that students and teachers have everything that they need so that their classes go smoothly. The other part of job is to be compassionate and available to students. Every year, January to June is when the 2nd year dental students begin their rigorous training on patient simulators before continuing their education on people for 2 more years. This is a hard, disciplined semester for them so they need some encouragement. I have to be compassionate and yet at the same time instill confidence in them. There is always tears and low self-esteem and it’s my job to see them rise above and conquer!

What are 3 words to describe your role?
The students like to say “mother”, resourceful and takes initiative.

What do you find the most challenging about your position?
The most difficult part of my position is helping the students work together. Our classroom size has now increased from 35 to 40 students a semester. That is 40 different personalities and backgrounds. Encouraging the students to work together benefits them in their future education, endeavours and relationships.

What has been your favourite project with the Faculty?
It was not a project per say but one of my favourite moments of working in the Faculty was during the 2011 strike. I began working at McGill in late 2010 and had little experience at the University. I was thrown in to help out at the MGH dental clinic where they needed extra hands. For four months I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off filling in various positions such as sterilisation, the dispensary, as a dental assistant and ordering supplies to name a few. It was an awaking seeing how all of the different units function, seeing the big picture. We winged it but in the end everyone graduated. I had BIG shoes to fill!!

What is the favourite part about working here?
My job is very rewarding. I like seeing the students every year starting out as “Newbies”; raw and vulnerable and then two and a half years later enthusiastic and ready to start their new careers. It’s great watching their transformation over the years and seeing them grow.

What is your proudest moment with the Faculty?
The graduating class of 2012 voted me as a “Valuable Employee” and I received a plaque at their Graduation Roast.

Top 3 life highlights?
Travelling internationally
Raising 2 daughters that are comfortable in their own skin
Career change later in life and loving it!

Dr. Drummond is this year’s winner of the Howard S. Katz Excellence in Teaching Award. His dedication to teaching is not only obvious to all of the students that have passed through his classroom but to all of his fellow teachers. He hails from a true McGill family, his dad was a professor, him and his wife graduated from McGill in ’83 and two of his three children have studied at McGill. From the very beginning of his career as a Dentist he knew that he wanted to do his part in giving back to the McGill community. Currently, he maintains a full-time private practice in Montreal West and is the Course Director for Restorative Dentistry. He sat down with me to discuss his love of teaching and to reflect on his years with the Faculty.

What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?

My title is Course Director of Pre-Clinical Operative Dentistry. Essentially, I teach second year students how to do basic fillings and get them ready to work on real patients in the Teaching Clinic. The Simulation Lab is their first experience using the handpiece and my job, along with the other Supervisors, is to help them develop their hand-eye coordination as well as their three-dimensional perception. It is a very difficult time for many of the students because they are having to deal with the manual part of their chosen profession for the first time and this part tends to be much more challenging than just learning the theory.

What are 3 words to describe your role?

Teacher
Mentor
Guidance counsellor

You were recently awarded the Howard S. Katz Excellence in Teaching Award. Congratulations! What does this award mean to you?

It is an honour to be recognized by those around me! Teaching is done mainly to the students but when recognition comes from your fellow teachers, it means that your successes at the grass roots with the students have permeated beyond the classroom and out into the Faculty as a whole.

It means even more that the award is named after one of my own teachers from when I was in school. Dr. Katz taught us pharmacology and did a great job making a dry subject interesting and entertaining.

Why did you choose to begin teaching?

Following graduation, I left Montreal for a few years. When I returned I was looking to get back into the academic life at McGill. I had thoroughly enjoyed my time here and wanted to continue having that same sort of fun and the same impact on students that my teachers had on me. My father was a McGill Professor in the Department of Geography, so I had grown up in academics and wanted to continue to contribute in some way. In 1986 Dr. John Blomfield approached me looking for help in the Simulation Lab so I happily signed on! I worked closely with Dr. Ivan Stangel for the next 13 years in restorative dentistry and when he moved on I assumed his responsibilities as Course Director in 1999.

What are the best and the most challenging parts of your position?

As I teacher, I cherish the student-teacher interaction and helping students to achieve their potential. I enjoy watching students evolve and grow into professionals. The challenging part of teaching is motivating students to put in the extra work necessary if they really want to achieve excellence.
My position is a little unique in that I only spend time with the students in the Simulation Lab. Teaching in the Simulation Lab comes with a different set of pros and cons than teaching in the Teaching Clinic.

The best part about what I do specifically is getting to deal with the students early on in their dental experience. It gives me a chance to show them the passion that I have for helping them as they embark on their journey to becoming a dentist. As Supervisors in the Simulation Lab, we are quite literally with them for their first real, hands-on dentistry related activity. They have been waiting for this since being accepted and it is very exciting to watch their enthusiasm. It is extremely rewarding watching the students develop their hand eye coordination and an appreciation for how basic dental procedures are done. The challenging part of my position is in reminding the students how all of this relates to the real patients that they will see in the Teaching Clinic. It can be difficult to put things into context for students sometimes.

Did you have mentors to help you get to where you are today? How were these people influential to you?

I had several mentors when I was a student and early on in my teaching career. My own profs who taught me and inspired me to want to give back. Dr. Bill Sanders was very inspirational as a full-time teacher. Dr. Jack Fenwick and Dr. Gerry Konanec were great supervisors. As a young supervisor myself, I spent a lot of time working with Dr. Ike Silver who acted as a role model and mentor guiding me into becoming a better supervisor and better teacher.

Has your teaching style changed over the years? Has the moving into the new facility had an impact on your teaching?

Teaching has, over the years, changed in many ways but the ultimate goal of helping students learn and hone their skills, and develop into professionals will never change. Technology has driven us forward from using overhead projectors and blackboard diagrams to PowerPoint presentations and streaming videos. We have moved from classic lecture style presentations to small group case study discussions. The new dental simulators make pre-clinical working much more like real life.

Besides technology changing the way we teach, students have also changed meaning that hat we have to alter and adapt our teaching approach. There has been a gradual shift over the years with how students interact with the teaching staff and what they want to get out of the program. As a result I tend to cater more to individual needs than I used to. This often means a greater time commitment.
As for the move to the new facility, it has greatly improved our working environment as we are now freshly motivated and can enjoy working in a bright new space with state of the art equipment. It allows us a better set-up for live demonstrations and interactive lecturing.

What do you like most about working in the Faculty?

The network of colleagues and the feeling of an extended family made up of fellow teachers, students and support staff.

What has been your favourite project with the Faculty?

Helping to organize the Dining with The Dinosaurs reception during the 2004 centenary celebrations.

Dr. Earl Karanofsky is passionate about teaching! Whether it be in the clinic, on faculty committees, at fundraising events, he always takes the time to be involved and is very deserving of this year’s Dr. Ralph Silverstone Award. The award recognizes his outstanding contribution to the undergraduate teaching program.

Dr. Karanofsky graduated from McGill Dentistry in 1977 and went on to complete a two year GPR program at the Jewish General Hospital before beginning his teaching career and private practice. When he is not teaching or practicing he is probably enjoying his time doing one of his other hidden talents: photography, dancing (he is a self-admitted great dancer!) or directing the choir at the Shaare Zedek Synagogue. Dr. Karanofsky is a proud husband, father to three sons and grandfather to two granddaughters.

What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?

I am currently an Assistant professor in the Faculty and a Clinical Demonstrator DMD IV. I am also the elected member of the Faculty’s Executive Committee, representing the part time clinical staff.

What are 3 words to describe your role?

My role is to be a teacher, a colleague and a student. I’ve always said that as a teacher we are here to help our students learn, to learn with them and to learn from them.

You were recently awarded the Dr. Ralph Silverstone Award for your contribution to the development of the undergraduate teaching program. Congratulations! What does this award mean to you?

I was very humbled to be named this year’s recipient. We are all validated as educators by the feedback we get from our students, but with this award, the Faculty has formally acknowledged my efforts, and by extension, the efforts of my fellow teachers. Teaching in our Faculty is a team sport and we have a great team.

Why did you choose to become involved with the Faculty?

Actually, it chose me. The day I completed my GPR, I went to say goodbye to my course director who said, “free your schedule next Thursday, you start teaching next week”. That was the beginning of my academic career. Teaching has made me a better practitioner and I would encourage every graduate to consider doing the same.

What are the best and the most challenging parts of your position?

Seeing the growth in a dental student from the time we meet in their third year to their graduation and forging career long relationships is the most satisfying. The biggest challenge for me is to cram as much teaching as I can into a very short time. I never feel satisfied that I have done everything I wanted to come Graduation.

Did you have mentors to help you get to where you are today? How were these people influential to you?

Harry Skurnik, Mel Heft, Bernard Slimovitch, Sydney Silver, and Mervin Gornitsky were my mentors. I recognized quite quickly that these were the types of dentists I wanted to emulate. They stimulated and challenged me to succeed.

Has your teaching style changed over the years?

Technology has permitted me to interact and communicate in a much more exciting way than ever before. As for teaching style, I have always had a catch phrase that I use with students and that is to learn horizontally as well as vertically. Look to your classmates for exposure and explanation of things that do not cross your hands directly. We don’t have enough time to expose each of you to every clinical situation. The good news is that we remain students our entire career and learning does not stop with graduation.

What do you like most about working in the Faculty?

Without a doubt it’s the people. Our small size is also one of our biggest assets. We are a cohesive group that by our own interaction and accessibility are able to expose our students to an extremely broad spectrum of dental issues and therapeutics.

What has been your favourite project with the Faculty?

The Facebook and lunch time tutorials I administer have become a great way to stimulate debate and share ideas amongst the students and staff.

What is your proudest moment with the Faculty?

I am extremely proud to be on the platform party every year to watch our students convocate. As a teacher and a parent, it was an incredibly moving experience to be there when my son Robert received his dental degree.

What advice would you give to recent new teachers?

Treat your students as colleagues and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know”.

What is on your wish list for the next 10 years?

Being involved in dentistry in some capacity
Having more grandchildren
Winning a 6/49 jackpot

Joined the Faculty: 2002

Research Interests:

Dr. Kaartinen’s research program aims to understand how protein crosslinking enzymes (transglutaminases; TGs), extracellular matrix components and matrix stiffness can regulate cell behavior, and how TG-mediated protein modifications can change protein function. Her particular protein of interest is the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin. From a disease perspective, her group is interested in understanding if alterations in fibronectin matrix is linked to the pathophysiology of osteoporosis and defects in energy metabolism and adipogenesis. Her group uses cell cultures and transgenic mice as models of human disease, as well as chemical biology, biochemistry and cell biology experimental approaches.

Academic Appointments:

Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry
Associate Member, Faculty of Medicine (Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine)

Professional Education:

1994 – MSc in Organic Chemistry, University of Jyvaskyla (Finland)
1999 – PhD in Biochemistry, University of Kuopio (currently University of Eastern Finland

Teaching

2015 – 2016 Courses
DENT 563 Introduction to Research
DENT 669 Extracellular Matrix Biology
DENT 670 Dental Research Project (MT-MSc)

Select Publications:  

1. Myneni VD, Kaartinen MT (2015). Transglutaminase 2 – A novel inhibitor of adipogenesis. Cell Death & Disease. 6:e1868.
2. Wang S, Kaartinen MT (2015). Cellular Factor XIIIA transglutaminase localizes in caveolae and regulates caveolin-1 phosphorylation, homo-oligomerization and c-Src signaling in osteoblasts. J. Histochem Cytochem. 63(11):829-41.
3. Cui C, Kaartinen MT (2015). Monoamines serotonin, inhibit plasma fibronectin assembly into extracellular matrix by acting as a competitive inhibitor to its transglutaminase mediated crosslinking. Bone. 72:43-52.
4. AddisonWN, Nelea V, ChicatunF, ChienY-C, ValiH, Tran-Khanh N, BuschmannMD, NazhatSN, KaartinenMT, Vali H, TecklenburgM, Franceschi RT and McKeeMD (2015). Extracellular matrix mineralization in murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cultures: An ultrastructural, compositional and comparative analysis with mouse bone. Bone. 71C:244-256.
5. Dargahi M, Nelea V, Mousa A, Omanovic S, Kaartinen MT (2014) Electrochemical modulation of plasma fibronectin surface conformation enables filament formation and control of endothelial cell-surface interactions. RSC Adv. 4 (88): 47769 – 47780.
6. Myneni VD, Hitomi K, Kaartinen MT (2014). Factor XIII-A transglutaminase acts as a switch between preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Blood. 124(8):1344-53.
7. Wang S, Cui C, Hitomi K, Kaartinen MT (2014). Detyrosinated Glu-tubulin is a substrate for cellular Factor XIIIA transglutaminase in differentiating osteoblasts. Amino Acids. 46(6):1513-26.
8. Eckert R, Kaartinen  MT, Nurminskaya M, Belkin A, Colak G, Johnson GCW, Mehta K (2014). Transglutaminase regulation of cell function. Physiol. Reviews. 94, 383-417.
9. Cui C, Wang S, Myneni VD, Hitomi K, Kaartinen MT (2014). Transglutaminase activity is required for stabilization and conversion of plasma FN into permanent osteoblast matrix. Bone 59, 127-138.
10. Piercy-Kotb SA, Mousa A, Al-Jallad HF, Myneni VD, Chicatun F, Nazhat SN, Kaartinen MT (2012). Factor XIIIA expression and secretion in osteoblast cultures is regulated by extracellular collagen network and MAP kinase pathway. J Cell Physiol. 227(7):2936-46.
11. Forsprecher J, Wang Z, Goldberg HA, Kaartinen MT (2011). Transglutaminase-mediated oligomerization promotes osteoblast adhesive properties of osteopontin and bone sialoprotein. Cell Adh. Migr. 5 (1) 1-8. (IF 2.3)
12. Nelea V, Kaartinen MT (2010) Periodic beaded-filament assembly of fibronectin on negatively charged surfaces.  J. Struct. Biol. 170, 50–59. (IF 3.3)
13. Forsprecher J, Wang Z, Nelea V, Kaartinen MT (2009). Enhanced osteoblast adhesion on transglutaminase 2 – polymerized fibronectin. Amino Acids. 36(4): 747-753.
14. Hubmacher D, El-Hallous EI, Nelea V, Kaartinen MT, Lee ER, and Reinhardt DP (2008). Oligomerization of the C-terminus of fibrillin-1 provides the basis for microfibril assembly.  PNAS. 105 (18): 6548-6553.
15. Keillor JW, Chica RA, Chabot N, Vinci V, Pardin C, Fortin E, Gillet SMFG, Nakano Y, Kaartinen MT, Pelletier JM and Lubell WD (2008). The bioorganic chemistry of transglutaminase: From mechanism to inhibition and engineering. Can. J. Chem. 86 (4): 271-276. (IF 0.9)
16. McKee MD, Addison W, Kaartinen MT (2006) Hierarchies of extracellular matrix and mineral organization in bone of the craniofacial complex and skeleton.  Cells, Tissues, Organs. 181 (3-4), 176-88. (IF 1.9)
17. Al-Jallad HF, Nakano Y, Chen JLY, McMillan E, Lefebvre C, Kaartinen MT (2006). Transglutaminase activity regulates osteoblast differentiation and matrix mineralization in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. Matrix Biology. 25, 135-148.

Isabelle Chevrier, centre, with former students at her sides at the opening event of the new facility.

Isabelle Chevrier loves discovering new people and places which makes her a perfect fit for her role of Dental Assistant in the Undergraduate Teaching Clinic, welcoming new students every year and helping them navigate the transition from the Simulation Lab to the Clinic. She also spends her time and energy overseeing the volunteers for the Summer Clinic or volunteering herself. She recently celebrated her 10 year wedding anniversary with her husband on the Island of Roatan. Outside of work Isabelle enjoys life in a quiet town on the South Shore gardening (with the help of colleague Tracy Berube) and taking care of her teenage step-daughter.

What is your role in the Faculty of Dentistry?

My role is to help our third and fourth year dental students to become the best dentists around!  That means supporting them but also helping them organize their operatories, set up their working environment and preparing all the necessary instruments and materials needed for the treatment. I also ensure that students follow specific infection control guidelines In order to protect themselves, the staff and their patients.

Being efficient and well organized reduces the stress level and makes the whole procedure more of a pleasant experience both for the patient and the student.
A big part of my job is also to attend to the patients comfort. The patient is the priority! I try to share this principle with the students.

My other roles in the faculty are to work closely with my colleagues (we all have an important role and our team work makes a real difference!) and to manage the volunteers for the Summer Clinic. TOGETHER, EVERYONE ACCOMPLISHES MORE!

How has your role changes since moving into the new facility?

With the new facility I no longer have to share my time between the dispensary and clinic floor. This means more time to do chair side assistance and allows students to experience four handed dentistry. They get exposed to better efficiency and minimal strains that four handed dentistry offers. It increases productivity and reduces stress and fatigue.

What are 3 words to describe your role?

Anticipation/ Caring/ Proactive

Why did you chose to become a dental assistant?

I was debating between becoming a dental hygienist or a dental assistant. After spending a day in a friend’s dental practice, I knew dental assistance was for me! It suited my personality. The tasks performed by the DA were various and required strong communication skills along with many different responsibilities. I was impressed with the way the DA was the dentist’s right hand!

You organise all of the volunteers for the Summer Clinic. How did you get involved in this and what does it mean to you to have such a huge responsibility in making sure the clinic runs smoothly?

I’ve been involved with the Summer Clinic since I began working in the Undergraduate Teaching Clinic. Dr. Myers asked me to take on the role of organising the volunteers just last summer and I really enjoyed doing it. The Summer Clinic gets very busy and having support from these wonderful volunteers reduces the overall stress level for all of us! There was about 15 volunteers per half day helping out in the clinic last year so they are really a huge part of the success of the clinic.

It is a big responsibility sifting through all of the emails that the Faculty gets for volunteers and selecting the right people for the job. I make sure that everyone knows and is comfortable with the protocol that we use in the clinic when it comes to helping with patients to infection control.

Last year I was very pleased with the great group of volunteers that we had. They were such a reliable and efficient group.

What do you find the most challenging about your position?

Dealing with so many different personalities! Over the years and after going through some difficult workplace interpersonal relationships, I have learned to adjust and compromise.
I try to do to others what I am expecting from others! I do not always succeed but I really believe that this is key to a successful and positive workplace.

What is your proudest moment with the Faculty?

When I won the most valuable person Award as a support staff in 2014. Our Dean had called me personally to congratulate me! I just could not believe it!

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?

I graduated as a DA in 2001 and continued on to the Multidisciplinary Residency Program at the Jewish General Hospital. This amazing experience led to a great opportunity to apply for a position in the Faculty of Dentistry at McGill. I began my career working in the Faculty Practice Clinic (satellite clinic) with the professors for over 8 years before I started working in the Undergraduate Teaching Clinic in 2012.

I have also participated in 5 dental humanitarian missions with Kindness in Action and the Dental Bear Team! These were lifetime changing experience for me!

Some of you may remember Dr. Raphael de Souza from his year spent at the Faculty of Dentistry as a Visiting Professor between August 2009 and September 2010. It is with pride and pleasure that we welcome him back to our Faculty, this time as Associate Professor.

Unlike some people in his field who specialize either in clinical practice or research, Dr. de Souza strives to bridge the gap between the two spheres. “I have one foot in the clinic and one foot in research,” he illustrates. He likes to describe himself as a clinician-scientist, focusing on the provision and maintenance of treatment for edentulous patients. His involvement in the development of clinical studies has been continuous since obtaining his PhD, and has provided him with experience in the coordination of randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews.

His year as Visiting Professor was very influential in his decision to come back to McGill. Dr. de Souza explains he wanted to reach different professional horizons, with research more applicable to real-life scenarios. He was impressed with the quality of research he encountered and praised the professional orders of Canada for “keeping a high level of quality of treatment in the dental professions.”

Although one of the reasons for his move was a desire for a better quality of life for him and his family, Dr. de Souza points out he didn’t have any romantic expectations of Canada. “It was based on concrete experience; there were no surprises,” he explains with a smile.

He stops and adds: “Well, there was maybe one surprise.” Before his year as Visiting Professor, he was told he could easily get by in Montreal, especially at McGill, knowing little to no French. While this was true for the University campus, he quickly felt the need to better communicate in French and has since made it his goal to become fluent. “The city really opens up to you when you speak French,” he mentions.

When asked if there’s something he’d like people to know about him, Dr. de Souza replies with a laugh: “I am not a typical Brazilian! I’m not afraid of Canadian winters.” In fact, he’s not fond of the hot Brazilian weather. What about futebol? “I’m not a soccer fan either. Hockey looks more dynamic!”

Dr. Maryam Tabrizian began her career at McGill in 2000 as an Assistant Professor, in a cross-appointment between Dentistry and Medicine, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. “I was given a lab, which only consisted of four walls,” she recalls with a smile. “I had to furnish it and recruit talented students and staff.”

That’s exactly what she did: little by little, she secured her research with successful grant applications. By 2011, she had earned a position as Full Professor. “Like most of my colleagues, my responsibilities include the supervision of my students, grant-writing, teaching, research dissemination and helping scholar communities by sitting on institutional, local, national and international peer review panels and advisory boards,” she explains.

Dr. Tabrizian’s appointment to the position of Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies comes with challenges she is looking forward to tackle. “It was time for me to share my vision and expertise,” she points out. “My goal is to bridge the gap between our clinicians and researchers by promoting their interaction.” By creating a common goal and working under the same umbrella, Dr. Tabrizian believes she will successfully create a win-win situation.

She is quite aware of the Faculty of Dentistry’s history of excellence, and the changes it has undergone in recent years. “Now, the bar is very high,” she tells me. She acknowledges the great work of her predecessor, Dr. Mark McKee and looks ahead: “To continue on this mounting slope, my goal is to set realistic expectations of what we want to achieve to further promote not only the cutting edge research and training done in our Faculty, but also our Faculty as a whole.”

Dr. Tabrizian remains very realistic about the challenges she faces and knows she relies on the support and involvement of her peers: “I see myself as a mentor and assistant for my colleagues and my aim is to help them achieve their objectives. I will be very open to their expertise and advice.” While she has a specific vision for her mandate, she remains flexible about the path to its achievement. “As we take each step, the next step will become clear as long as we stay focused on our vision. My plan is to meet with my colleagues, get them involved in this process and gain their insight.”

When asked if there’s anything else she’d like people in our Faculty to know about her, she tells me about her insatiable curiosity: “I enjoy learning about innovations in any field by looking up key words on Google. It could be a robot for cleaning windows, a new pacemaker or a new polymer resistant to Canadian winters used in flower pots.” On a more personal note, she also tells me about her love for her family’s Saturday evenings: “Very often, we decline invitations, even our children, to be able to spend this time together, and with our other close family members and friends.” Her positive attitude radiates into her family life. “Believe in yourself,” she tells her children. “You are good. Make it happen.”

Within minutes of receiving the notification that Emil Briones had received this year’s McGill Award for Equity and Community Building, both Dean Allison and Associate Dean (Academic) Esfandiari came by my office to make sure I’d heard the news. Such a display of pride and support isn’t surprising when you know how instrumental Emil has been in promoting equity, diversity and anti-oppression within the curriculum of our undergraduate dental students.

“I want to emphasize that it was a collaborative effort,” Emil begins, “Nikoo [Taghavi] has been my biggest supporter through all this.” He also acknowledges the work and support of Drs. Shahrokh Esfandiari, Shaheen Shariff, Richard Hovey and Paul Allison. “None of this would have been possible without their help.”

As part of their Dental Apprenticeship course, a mandatory course, the DMD Class of 2018 got to attend three workshops focusing on equity and social justice issues. McGill’s Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) Office offered a first workshop to introduce basic concepts and vocabulary to discuss diversity and equity. “Like a Diversity-101, if you’d like,” Emil summarizes. For some students, it was the first time they received a toolkit to approach, discuss and understand these complex and at times highly emotional topics. “Then, Dr. Shaheen Shariff delivered a featured workshop focusing on digital citizenship and rape culture,” he continues, “and finally, Dr. Richard Hovey discussed ethics and professionalism within the dental profession.”

When asked about how this mandatory curriculum addition came about, Emil replies: “The incident at Dalhousie Dentistry was a rude awakening.” He pauses and adds “We owe it to survivors and people from systemically marginalized backgrounds to do something about it beyond lip-service.” Emil was referring to the Dalhousie Dentistry scandal, where a group of male students set up a Facebook group used to post sexist and misogynist comments about their female classmates, one comment specifically directed at queer women. “Dalhousie happened,” he summarizes, “Nikoo attended a workshop on equity given by Dr. Shariff, Dr. Esfandiari has dedicated his mandate to modernizing our DMD curriculum, and I happen to have seven years of experience in doing anti-oppression and community programming work. A lot of things came together.”

During our moving conversation, Emil cautions: “For this initiative to be sustainable, it cannot be tokenistic. We need staff, faculty and students to invest themselves fully in this exercise. If we as a Faculty talk about patient-centered care, then we also have to acknowledge the lived experiences of these patients. We are here to train caregivers who are committed to excellence equipped with a nuanced and critical understanding of social justice.”

Dean Allison with 2016 MVP Award winners Rocchina Testa and Linda Harrison. Photo: Julie Dracoulacou.

This year’s Most Valuable Person Award went to two wonderfully dedicated members of our team: Linda Harrison and Rocchina Testa. In a short interview, they discuss the challenges and rewarding moments of their respective positions.

Did you know you had been nominated for the award? If so, do you know who nominated you?

Linda Harrison: I did know I was nominated, which in itself is very gratifying.

Rocchina Testa: I don’t know who nominated me, but I did know I was nominated.

What does a typical day at the office look like for you?

LH: There is no such thing as a typical day in the pre-clinic as each lab is different so anything can happen.

RT: I don’t know what to tell you! It’s just one thing after the other; there is a lot of problem-solving.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

LH: The most challenging aspect would be thinking ahead of the game. Always have a backup of materials just in case the lab changes, which does happen.

RT: Making things happen can be challenging when so many units are involved. I work with Financial Services and while I know who to call for which issues, there’s a lot of following-up to do.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

LH: The most rewarding aspect would be saying goodbye for the summer and the look of relief on the students faces as they are finishing up. I have the students for one very fast semester. This time factor and amount of material that they cover is immense. High levels of stress, tears and anxiety – so smiles and looks of relief are very rewarding.

RT: Resolving problematic issues. And usually, it happens! I feel great when it’s done.

If you could go back in time and give yourself a piece of advice when you started in your current position, what would that advice be?

RT: Don’t take anything personally: it’s all business.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

LH: The reason the pre-clinic runs as well as it does is because of team work. The dedicated instructors that I work with all have one goal in mind and they go the extra mile. Guide our students to be the best possible dentists they could be. I have large support in the clinic and dispensary and the staff upstairs is always willing to help. All of this makes my position easier.

RT: To be successful at the job that I do, you have to be a team player. It’s thanks to the team around me that I can get results.

Dr. Nathalie Morin completed her DMD from Université de Montreal in 1990 and practiced general dentistry for the Canadian Forces Dental Services as well as in private practices. She completed a Master of Public Health Dentistry at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, in Bethesda, Maryland, and was trained to be one of two WHO gold standard examiners for the dental component of the Canadian Health Measure Survey. From 2008 to 2015 she was the Director of professional services for the Québec dental regulatory authority (L’ Ordre des dentistes du Québec). She maintains a part-time private practice at the McGill University Students & Staff Dental Clinic.

As of November 1^st 2016, she will be entering her new role as Clinic Director at the Faculty of Dentistry.

Did you always know you would become a dentist? Was there a defining moment in your life that moved you to commit to this profession?

Since high school, I knew I wanted to work within the health field. Helping others reach a better state of health and wellbeing appealed to me and was for me a very noble and rewarding professional objective. Dentistry was an ideal choice because of its “hands-on” side where you spend most of your time actually performing various procedures rather than doing office “consultations”.

You have had a rich array of experiences, from working in private practice to treating military patients of the Canadian Forces as well as being involved in public protection with the “Ordre des dentistes du Québec”. How did this influence your development as a dentist?

Being involved in many sides of the profession certainly made me realize how important it is to be trained with good technical skills but moreover with a high ethical standards and professionalism. During my dentistry studies in the late 1980s, I remember that with my classmates, we would mainly speak about how to improve our clinical abilities and efficiency but we did not have lengthy discussions about the “patient-centered” side of our job. I feel that dental schools have made great improvements in teaching this side of the profession in recent years.

You are a strong proponent of improving dentists’ understanding of people of low socio-economic level in order to provide them with better care. Why do you believe this is so important?

During my military career I met many young recruits who admitted to me that one of the main reasons they had decided to join the Forces was because of the free dental care. Many of them had very important and urgent dental problems and they were so grateful to finally get rid of the pain and to recover their smile.  Having oral health problems early in life can really be an obstacle to many opportunities and be detrimental to a person’s self-confidence.

What makes you most proud of being part of McGill’s Faculty of Dentistry?

The different people surrounding me every day is the most fulfilling part of my work at McGill. I am happy and proud to be part of the group.

What are you looking forward to in your new role?

The fact that I will be more involved with the clinical-teaching aspect with the students. I find them so energizing and motivating. I would like them to get the best and most fulfilling clinical experience possible during their program so that they feel confident and ready to go on with any project they might have after graduation.

Interviewee: Dr. Chantal Czerednikow , Instructor McGill Faculty of Dentistry (Montreal Children’s Hospital)

Interviewer: Valerie Khayat

Can you tell us about your work at the Faculty’s pediatric clinic and its mission?

My role is to teach the 4^th year students rotating through the pediatric clinic at the MCH.

I supervise and guide their work with children 0-10 years of age. I have an hour in the morning before clinic to review techniques for pediatric dentistry, such as behaviour guidance, anesthesia and restorative techniques, trauma management, caries prevention advice.

This is a unique rotation because the children they see are very young, often under 5 years old, so it gives them an opportunity to grow their comfort and skill level in pediatrics.

The mission of the pediatric clinic is to provide quality care for children who would otherwise not receive it due to finances. The children we see are either refugees without medicare coverage, recent immigrants waiting for medicare coverage, or children of international students who are not covered by medicare.

-Has your experience at the pediatric clinic changed your perspective of dentistry over time? Are you still motivated by the same aspects as when you started your career years ago? 

My experience teaching at the pediatric clinic has made me realize how far I’ve come in the last few years! I still remember my rotation as a student years ago and it is exciting to be able to pass on to the current students what I have learned since then.

All of the patients we see in the clinic are from other countries, so it has given me a window into the world of dentistry outside of Canada. My perspective of dentistry in general has changed, because I have seen the different levels and access to care that patients have in their home country. It has made me realize that here in Canada we are fortunate to have preventive dental care, good quality dental education, and relatively easy access to dental care.

Through certain cases, I realize that there are different standards of dental care in different countries. For example, some children come with many teeth missing because in their country baby teeth are extracted more often than they are repaired. Others come for their first check-up in their life at the age of 7. Dentists and patients in Canada are lucky because a lot is being done to educate students and the public about the importance of early dental visits and prevention.

Since I have started my career I have met many outstanding people that have become my mentors. I continue to learn from them and they have helped me find deeper ways to be motivated. When I first began, I was motivated to “fix” people’s teeth and “teach” them how to take care of themselves. Now I am more motivated to “facilitate” their transition to health and guide them to “take responsibility” for their health. It may seem like just a change of words, but the actions behind it are very different. It is a work in progress and I am learning from my colleagues all the time!

Why do you think this rotation is so important to the training of Dental students in the program?

This training is important for the students because it is an opportunity for them to truly experience the challenges and rewards of pediatric dentistry.

It is challenging because they have never treated patients so young before. The students must use different ways to communicate and connect with the patient at the same time as working quickly in a mouth smaller than they are used to!

The treatments are also more challenging for them because the caries are more extensive than what they usually see at the faculty clinic.

Though they quickly realize the rewards are great too. Making a nervous child giggle and relax during their first exam or treatment takes a special approach and the student has a chance to realize they have that ability. This helps them understand how important it is to make your patient comfortable during their visit and how much smoother the visit can go once a connection is made, no matter what age the patient is!

You also collaborate with Centre for Innovation in Autism and Intellectual Disability as a dentist. This Foundation attends to individuals with special needs. Why did you choose to get involved with them?

A few years ago, when I met with the organization’s director for the first time, I was shocked as she explained the statistics on the number of individuals with autism and ID and the poor access to care they have, especially when they reach adulthood.  At the time, I knew it wasn’t easy for people with special needs to find a dentist, but I had no idea it was so difficult in almost every other aspect in their life. The foundation’s mission is to improve access to care and facilitate the multiple transition periods in their life. They were in search of a dentist and we felt I was a great match for their open-minded, forward thinking team. There was no way I would turn down such an incredible opportunity to make an impact and connect with these individuals and their families.

My passion for special care dentistry developed through my experience in summer clinic as a dental student and then as a resident at the MCH. No matter the patient’s diagnosis, often they are scared to go to the dentist. There were many cases where I was able to make the patient more relaxed and comfortable by taking some extra time to talk, show them the steps, and reassure them. Other cases it was a bit more challenging to complete the visit, but singing, telling stories, and sometimes using sedation helped the patient through the appointment. Dentistry never gets dull in this field and I have learned that intuition is a better guide than a recipe when it comes to deciding how to approach and adapt to each patient’s needs.

Dr. Deborah Iera took some time away from her duties in Montreal last month to tend to the needs of children with cleft lip and palate in Vietnam. For Dr. Iera, Director of the Undergraduate OMFS Program, the trip was a wonderful experience. “It was great to bring extra medical help to Vietnam,” she says. “I will definitely be doing more missions in the future to help others and represent McGill.”

Her travels took her first to Japan where she joined a team led by Dr. Minami, Associate Professor of Cleft Lip and Palate Center, University Hospital of Aichi-Gakuin and Dr. Mori, Associate Professor of the Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry. The team consisted of 18 people including two other McGill Dentistry graduates, Dr. Moghadam and Dr. Matouk and anesthetists, nurses and students.

From there the team travelled to Ninh Binh in Vietnam for 10 days where they screened patients and performed 37 cleft lip surgeries.

The Japanese team has been going to Vietnam for the past 17 years and helped countless individuals with cleft lip and palate.

for personal and professional development of students and ability to engage and motivate students and winners are nominated by fellow academic staff and recent graduates (5 years).

Dr. Tabrizian strives for excellence and is dedicated to the success of her fellow staff and students. She has an excellent teaching record having supervised 63 graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and visiting professors, the vast majority of whom have gone on to successful academic, private and public sectors roles. Her students all speak highly of her phenomenal energy, innovate ideas and passion for the topics and research methods she teaches.

Dr. Tabrizian has been with McGill since 2000 and is cross appointed in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry.  In 2016 she was appointed the role of Faculty’s Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies.

The award will be made publicly at convocation on May 30^th.

Drs. Nick Makhoul and Michel El-Hakim participated in an Oral Cancer film project documentary, designed to drive awareness of oral cancer and increasing education to the public.

by Valerie Khayat

Dr. Jocelyne Feine has always thought differently, fortunately. She has always been curious and without a doubt, passionate about her work and about people. When I meet her at her office for this interview, she greets me with a big smile and genuine enthusiasm in sharing her thoughts about life, career and her journey as a dentist/researcher. I haven’t shared any of my questions with her prior to our meeting and although she is curious to say the least, I can already perceive her open approach to the “unknown” and a readiness for that challenge, even in a simple interview situation. Over the years, her journey has led from Houston, Texas, where she once practiced dentistry in a private office, taught at the dental faculty and completed a Masters’ degree in neurophysiology, all the way to Montreal, Canada at McGill’s Faculty of Dentistry. In between, she followed her thirst for putting theory into practice through many travels and continuing education courses across the United States, during which time she met Dr. Jim Lund, her late husband (and past Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry). Many years later, she is now receiving one of the most prestigious awards in the field of dentistry: the American Dental Association’s Norton M. Ross Award for Clinical Research in recognition of her clinical research and research translation contributions.  “This is one of the biggest gifts I’ve received from this award: that this is a very strong validation of the importance of seeing things differently”, she explains. Dr. Feine is quick to point out, however, that it is the strong mentorship and moral support she received from Dr. Jim Lund, as well as the research environment, that gave her the courage to try new things and succeed. In fact, just last year, Dr. Feine was also named the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the highly innovative Journal of Dental Research Clinical and Translational Research (JDR-CTD).

Dr. Feine is recognized worldwide for her work in clinical oral health and health care, more particularly related to implant supported dentures.  She’s conducted groundbreaking research investigating the benefits of these treatments and has been a pioneer in having those research results (and those of others) translated into routine dental care. “As scientists, we are responsible for doing as much as we can to translate our results to those who will use the information to improve health”, she says. She is inherently concerned about the patient’s experience and reiterates that, ultimately, it is the user of the devices who is the best judge of how efficient they are. Patient’s feedback and an understanding of their experience is essential to ultimately providing solutions that will increase their quality of life.

Listening to her speak, it is clear that she “eats, lives and breathes” what she does and that her work is a vocation, not just a job. As is often the case and, perhaps, even more so in the field of research, one cannot help but begin to perceive life in general, through the lens of one’s academic theories. When I ask Dr. Feine how her research has impacted her own life, she explains that it has made her deeply aware of the definition of quality of life and how relative it is. “Quality of life is really the way you judge your life in relation to your expectations. Through research I’ve been able to travel extensively in the world […] and one of the biggest impacts on me has been that traveling, because I’ve been able to see that in North America, our expectations of our lives are often based more on what we don’t have, the things we see other people have[…], but when you go to countries like India and see that people exist, survive on so little, it changes your expectations. It certainly did mine”. So, how does one strike the balance between contentment and cultivating a healthy dissatisfaction, which may fuel innovation? Dr. Feine explains that it is rooted in a sense of service towards others.

With so many accolades over the years and this latest award, I am genuinely interested in knowing how she maintains such passion for her work. Curiosity seems to be the magic ingredient so I ask her how she manages to remain curious. She explains simply: «It’s a matter of seeing problems and feeling as though perhaps I can make things better[…]In dentistry, we’re a health service field[…]the whole reason why we’re here is to help, is to improve health”. Fortunately for the research community and a multitude of patients, Dr. Feine has always thought differently and furthermore, embraced this about herself. And she has every intention of continuing.

Listen to the full audio interview in which Dr. Feine also speaks about her love of teaching, the importance of critical thinking and community here

Congratulations to Dr. Raphael de Souza and his team members for their success on the ITI grant application on:

“Single implant overdentures retained by the Novaloc attachment system: a mixed methods randomized trial”

Elders are the more likely to have no teeth and little remaining jaw bone; the lack of bone makes it difficult to place dental implants. In addition, the cost of implant treatment is usually far beyond the means of most elders. This can be minimised by using a minimum number of implants, such as a single implant in the anterior lower jaw. Implant-assisted dentures are attached to the implant using a connector (technically known as attachment) that holds the denture tight. In this study, Dr. de Souza and his team will do a clinical study to compare a new type of connector to another often used worldwide, made of stronger materials and with better fit, used on a single implant in the lower jaw. Elderly patients using these will rate their satisfaction with both types and describe their experiences with each connector in interviews, and we will estimate involved costs associated with each connector.

PI: Raphael de Souza
Co-investigators: Jocelyne Feine and Shahrokh Esfandiari, Nicholas Makhoul and Christophe Bedos
Consultants: Samer Abi Nader and Didem Dagdeviren

Amount: $ 99,923 US
Dates: 2017-2020

Dr. Belinda Nicolau was recently accepted to participate in the American Dental Education Association Leadership Institute. She is the third McGill Dentistry Professor to be chosen to partake in the prestigious Institute. “I feel privileged to have been selected for such a prestigious professional training program and thankful for the support of Dean Allison and my colleagues who attended the course previously Drs. Esfandiari and Makhoul,” say Dr. Nicalou.

Dr. Nicolau has been with the Faculty since December 2011 and has taken on many leadership roles both within the Faculty and with other professional associations. She is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of the Division of Oral Health and Society. She holds a Canada Research Chair in Life Course Oral Epidemiology. She is also a member of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) where she holds a position on the Executive Committee fof the Behavioural Epidemiologic and Health Services Research Group (BEHSR) and a member the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR).

During the course she hopes to improve her leadership skills and increase her international dental network, which will be beneficial to Faculty.

Dr. Julie Drakoulakou was at the CLSC Parc Extension on Wednesday, May 3 for and Oral Health Awareness Playshop. Morning and afternoon workshops were filled with fun activities to learn the importance of oral health, nutrition, oral hygiene and dental visits. The day was geared towards pre-natal, infant and toddler care and participants were from Quebec, India, Sri Lanka, Greece, Turkey and Serbia.