From the Desk of Dr. Quiñonez
May 2023
Last month, the Mighty Dents hockey team took on the UofT Dental Hockey Club in the annual Ontario Dental Cup. This is the first time the rival teams have faced each other on Toronto ice since 2019, and the first time I was present to cheer for the London team.
It was an exciting game. The Mighty Dents fought their way back from a 3-0 score in the first period, with a final score of 5-3 in Toronto’s favour. Our Most Valuable Player awards went to Dents goalies Jordan Elwood and Justin Lamont.
While I wanted us to win, of course – and we will next year! – a win was not the most important or meaningful part of the event for me. I'm proud to say that when all the numbers were totalled up, a whopping $35,539.36 was raised for Toronto's Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH) and The Wright Clinic here in London. Incredible!
But there's more.
As I watched the game, I was impressed to see the significant support for our Mighty Dents away from home. Schulich Dentistry families cheered enthusiastically in the stands, completely wrapped up in the excitement of the game. In chatting with some of the spectators, it also became apparent that some in the stands were part of our Advanced Standing Program for International Dental Graduates. That filled me with joy, to see our international grads enjoy “Canadiana,” maybe because they are fans of the great game of hockey, or more importantly, maybe because they felt part of a family – our family. I was delighted to see that all our students show up for each other, and I couldn’t be prouder.
This was then emphasized for me when a few weeks later, I attended School’s first Eid celebration organized by a group of Dentistry students and faculty. The event was so well subscribed to by students, staff, faculty, alumni, and industry representatives that a larger event space had to be found. The conviviality and warmth shared by everyone was palpable, as we feasted and learned about Ramadan and Eid. In fact, this will likely become a yearly occasion, and it was so much fun that another group of students and faculty are now planning a Diwali event! Like the hockey game, I think all of this is special because it shows how close our family is, and highlights the great and diverse culture we are building at Schulich Dentistry.
As part of a refugee family to Canada, I can’t quite adequately express to you how meaningful all the above is – seeing people from around the world cheer for Canada’s iconic sport and at the same time seeing all of us celebrate each other’s cultures. Again, it really does make you feel part of a family. And while it is important to me to see students getting good grades and growing into competent clinicians, and while I similarly celebrate faculty members publishing papers and securing grants, it is a hockey game and an Eid celebration that best confirm for me that we are doing the right things at Schulich Dentistry.
And that means more than any win, as it tells me that we are already winners.
- Carlos
Carlos Quiñonez, DMD, MSc, PhD, FRCD(C)
Vice Dean and Director of Dentistry
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Western University
