Adjunct Faculty Profile - Dr. Peter Taylor
May 2023
An avid long-distance runner, Dr. Peter Taylor knows how to pace himself. Having taught in Schulich Dentistry’s main clinic on Thursdays and some Fridays for the past 33 years, Dr. Taylor says he is grateful for the privilege of helping students start their careers. He notes that his most memorable moments of teaching at Western have been the contact he has had with students after graduation and hearing about the impact his teaching has had on their careers.
Dr. Taylor’s private practice is purple and proud, with a focus on periodontal and restorative dentistry. A 1990 graduate from Western himself, he works alongside a periodontist who graduated from Western 17 years ago, as well as two other general practitioners, both of whom are also Western grads.
Dr. Taylor’s decision to pursue a career in dentistry was guided by a desire to work in a clinical environment and interact with people on a daily basis. “I enjoy working with my hands,” he shares, “and I like the opportunity to create excellent aesthetic dental health for my patients. When asked about who inspired Dr. Taylor in his own educational career, he named Dr. Don Gratton, who encouraged an interest in fixed prosthodontics which carried over into his general practice and his teaching.
Working with students and faculty has been a wonderful learning experience for Dr. Taylor. “Every time I jump on the clinic floor, I am faced with different clinical challenges brought to me by the students,” he says. “It’s an excellent way to broaden my perspective and keep my skills sharp.”
Dr. Taylor says that over the past academic year, he has been particularly impressed by the leadership of Vice Dean and Director Dr. Carlos Quiñonez, as well as Dr. Keven Hockley, Associate Director, Clinics. He believes their leadership will propel Schulich Dentistry “to the next level of education.”
For students considering a career in dentistry, Dr. Taylor advises that it creates amazing and rewarding relationships with people while helping to keep them in good health.
While Dr. Taylor is technically retiring at the end of this academic year and will no longer be a regular on the clinic floor every Thursday, we are pleased that he will continue to teach on an on-call basis.
