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ONTARIO SECTION NEWSLETTER VOL 1 SEPTEMBER • 2026

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR This year, the ACD-OS is trying something new! Our newsletter is evolving. Instead of one large annual publication, it will now be delivered by ACD Headquarters in three separate editions throughout the year. While the format is changing, it will continue to include all the committee reports and section news that you have come to expect. This approach allows us to connect with our Fellows three times a year, keep everyone informed more regularly, and remain fiscally responsible as a section.

Sunita Joshi, FACD Newsletter Editor 2026/2027

With the tremendous support of Suzan Pitman and ACD Headquarters, each edition will be emailed directly to all our Fellows. Another exciting addition this year is a dedicated Scientific Series, will be released as a separate edition and will culminate with an ACD-hosted panel discussion. This year's theme, "The Ethical Wellness Connection," features contributions from five outstanding experts who explore why wellness matters for leaders and healthcare

professionals, how to maintain balance during dental school and the early years of practice, and the ethical consequences of burnout within our profession. The articles will be shared with all our Fellows ahead of our panel discussion on January 21, 2027. In Volume 1, there are updates from our Chair, Dr. Shawn Steele, Dr. LouAnn Visconti's report from the Membership, Nominations and Awards Committee, exciting news about our new Pillars Podcast from Dr. Sonia Slawuta, a recap of the Student Leadership Awards Night from Dr. Karin Van Ryswyk, and an introduction to our newly redesigned ACD-OS website, thoughtfully updated by Moony Madlol, our Website Administrator and dedicated University of Western Ontario DDS Class of 2028 student. We hope you enjoy this new format, and we look forward to hearing your feedback after you've received all three editions in 2027. Thank you for your continued support. SUNITA JOSHI, FACD NEWSLETTER EDITOR 2026/2027

IN THIS ISSUE A Note From Our Editor ........................................................................................................ 1 Strategic Planning Meeting Overview ................................................................................. 3 Communications on the Go! ................................................................................................. 4 Reporting from the ACD-OS Membership/Nominations/Awards Committee............... 6 Recognizing Exceptional Future Leaders: ......................................................................... 10 Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry Building Your Future in Dentistry Evening, March 25, 2026 ..................................................................................................................... 13 Honouring Our Legacy, Building Our Future ................................................................... 15

STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING OVERVIEW

DR. SHAWN STEELE 2025-2026 ACD-OS CHAIR Our May 29, 2026, Strategic Planning Meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening the future direction, governance, and sustainability of ACD Ontario Section. Bringing together executive leadership for a focused day of in-person discussion and planning, the meeting provided an opportunity to review organizational priorities, assess current operations, and establish a practical roadmap for the years ahead. A key outcome of the session was a renewed commitment to strong governance and organizational accountability and growth for the Section, including discussions around several initiatives designed to improve efficiency and long-term sustainability. The meeting generated innovative ideas to enhance collaboration with students, support leadership development opportunities, and expand fundraising and sponsorship efforts in ways that align with the ACD’s mission and values. A recurring theme throughout the day was the importance of focusing resources on high-impact activities that prioritize meaningful engagement within the fellowship, effective communication, strategic partnerships, and developing new programs that deliver measurable value to fellows and future leaders. Overall, the meeting reinforced the ACD Ontario Section’s commitment to thoughtful stewardship, continuous improvement, and a forward-looking strategy that positions us for continued growth, relevance, and success well into the future. We look forward to working through the many action items arising from our productive meeting!

COMMUNICATIONS ON THE GO!

DR. SONIA SLAWUTA CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE The Communications Committee of the Ontario Section has had another productive and exciting year, continuing our Birthday and Holiday Greeting Card Program while further expanding our communications and social media presence. We hope that our greetings on your special day and during the holiday season brought a smile to your busy lives and served as a reminder that you are a valued member of our ACD community. Throughout the year, we kept our Fellows informed of upcoming ACD and Ontario Section events through our Bulletins. We hope you enjoyed learning about our initiatives, educational programs, and the many accomplishments of our featured Fellows. Beginning this September, we are transitioning from our traditional Bulletin to a series of newsletters published throughout the year. This new format will allow us to provide more timely updates, richer content, and greater visibility for our programs, sponsors, students, and Fellows. We look forward to hearing your feedback as we introduce this new approach. Recognizing the importance of modern communication and digital engagement, we have continued to strengthen our presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. These platforms allow us to connect not only with Ontario Section Fellows, but also with ACD Fellows across North America and Student Professionalism and Ethics Association (SPEA) members throughout Canada. We encourage you to follow and subscribe to stay informed about upcoming events, educational opportunities, and highlights from recent activities. One of our most exciting initiatives continues to be The Pillars Pod, our podcast series featuring engaging fireside conversations with distinguished guests exploring the four pillars of the American College of Dentists—Excellence, Ethics, Professionalism, and Leadership. The response to the podcast has been overwhelmingly positive, and

we encourage those who have not yet tuned in to visit our YouTube channel and explore the growing library of episodes. Looking ahead, we are particularly excited to launch a special inaugural series featuring nationally recognized ACD leaders and speakers, bringing fresh perspectives and inspiring conversations to our audience. The Communications Committee remains committed to keeping our Fellows informed, engaged, and connected while showcasing the outstanding work of the Ontario Section. We thank you for your continued support and look forward to another exciting year of innovation and communication.

REPORTING FROM THE ACD-OS MEMBERSHIP/NOMINATIONS/AWARDS COMMITTEE

LOUANN VISCONTI IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR 2025-26 CHAIR, MEMBERSHIP/NOMINATIONS/AWARDS COMMITTEE 2025-26 As nature makes the transition from the vibrant green of summer to the warm gold of autumn, we are reminded that this is a time of change; a time to look forward to new beginnings. With the fiscal year of the ACD Ontario Section drawing to an end, we look forward to welcoming new candidates into fellowship and to celebrating the achievements of leaders in our midst at the much-anticipated ACD AGM and Convocation ceremony taking place in beautiful Santa Barbara, California from October 23-24, 2026. We also look forward to celebrating the exemplary leadership and service of one of our fellows at the ACD Ontario Section’s AGM at the Delta Chelsea Hotel, Toronto on November 12, 2026. We hope that you will be able to join us for this wonderful evening of networking, mentorship and camaraderie in fellowship! This year the ACD Ontario Section is excited to welcome the following new fellow candidates; • • •

Dr. Alicia Brandt Dr. Christopher Fanelli* *deferment to 2027 Convocation Dr. James Frizzell

• • • •

Dr. Noha Gomaa Dr. Lilia Ibarra Dr. Maneesh Sharma Dr. Erin Watson

The exemplary leadership of each of these individuals in the advancement of the dental profession and to their dedication to the patients that they are privileged to serve is recognized in this honor of fellowship within the ACD. We look forward to celebrating them in Santa Barbara and working together with them to continue to advance the 4 pillars of the College within the dental profession; Ethics, Leadership, Ethics and Professionalism.

There are those fellows in our midst who continue to set the bar high with their service to the profession. This year the ACD Ontario Section is proud to announce two such individuals who were chosen as 2026 National ACD award recipients:

THE ACD 2026 DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD: DR. AARON BURRY

Dr. Burry is currently the CEO of the Canadian Dental Association and brings to this position his unique skill set and extensive experience in public health administration and leadership positions in municipal, provincial and federal governance levels. With a mind to public service, Dr. Burry’s academic accomplishments include a Master of Public Health Administration, Master of Business Administration, Public Health Specialty license to practice Specialty Dental Public Health and an Executive Leadership Development Certificate. Congratulations Dr. Burry!

THE ACD 2026 ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM AWARD: DR. CARLOS QUINONEZ

Dr. Quinonez is a dental public health specialist, professor and Vice Dean and Director of Dentistry at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western, London, Ontario. Since joining Schulich in 2022, he has played a transformative and stabilizing role during a period of institutional renewal. His leadership has been instrumental in guiding the dental school through successful accreditation, strengthening clinical operations, revitalizing the curriculum and restoring confidence among faculty staff, students and the broader dental community. Dr. Quinonez was instrumental in developing and implementing the first “Professionalism Day” for first and fourth year dental students in September of 2025 and is currently revamping and redeveloping dentistry’s Ethics and Professionalism curriculum at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Congratulations Dr. Quinonez!

ACD ONTARIO SECTION OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD: DR. KEN WRIGHT

On November 12, 2026, the ACD Ontario Section will host its annual AGM at the Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto. This year, it will be a great honor and pleasure to celebrate one of our fellows for his service in providing access to those in his community that do not have the means to receive regular dental care. Dr. Ken Wright had a vision and that was to remove the socioeconomic barriers in the provision of optimal dental care to all in his home city of Middlesex-London. This vision came to fruition in 2018 and in the 8 years that this clinic has been open, the exceptional clinical team has provided services to approximately 800 individuals. For his compassion and dedication in the provision of optimal dental care and exceptional patient care, Dr. Wright is the 2026 recipient of the ACD Ontario Section’s Outstanding Leadership and Service Award. Congratulations Dr. Wright!

RECOGNIZING EXCEPTIONAL FUTURE LEADERS: One of the highlights of the year for the ACD Ontario Section’s Executive Committee is the presentation of the ACD’s Outstanding Student Leadership Award (OSLA). This year with MNP as sponsor, the ACD Ontario Section hosted 2 separate award evenings, one for each of Ontario’s faculties of dentistry. The first event took place on February 10, 2026, at the MNP head office in downtown Toronto to celebrate the 2 student recipients from the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. The second event took place Wednesday March 25th at the London Golf & Hunt Club to celebrate the 2 recipients from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Students were provided with a learning experience as MNP presented on financial pitfalls to be avoided in the early years of dental practice with Mr. Andrew Lee presenting in Toronto and Mr. Jared Bos in London. These presentations were followed by a presentation from fellows Dr. Chris Swayze in Toronto and Dr. Michelle Ryan in London speaking about such topics as billing codes, insurance audits and College investigations. The highlight of each event was the presentation of the Outstanding Student Leadership Award to 4 deserving students:

MANSHA NAYYAR

SOPHIA KIM

SCHULICH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY

FRANKLIN YANG

EDDIE CHOW

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

The events were so well attended by both fellows and students that a larger room with increased capacity may be considered for next year’s events! Congratulations to our student award recipients! OSLA EVENT SCHULICH; MARCH 25, 2026

Dr. Michelle Ryan and 2nd year student, Moony Madlol

From left to right: Award recipient Sophia Kim, Dr. Karin Van Ryswyk, award recipient, Mansha Nayyar and Dr. Shawn Steele

OSLA EVENT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO FEBRUARY 10, 2026:

Award recipient, Eddie Chow and Dr. Sunita Joshi

Dr. Jawad Tawil with award recipient, Franklin Yang and Dr. Sunita Joshi

ON A FINAL NOTE... It is with bittersweet emotion that I will be stepping away from the ACD Ontario Section’s Executive Committee this year to take advantage of other opportunities that have been presented to me. Serving on the Executive Committee and having the opportunity to serve as your Chair in 2025-26 was one of the highlights of my professional career. I will take with me many great memories of working with such a great team these past 5 years as well as the experience and skills that I have gained that will assist me in my future endeavors. The ACD Ontario Section Executive Committee is a wonderful team and serving with them is an experience that I highly recommend to any of our fellows who wish to become more involved in the College. Election of the new slate will take place at the ACD-OS AGM on November 12, 2026, at the Toronto Delta Chelsea Hotel. If you want to know more about the Executive Committee and the incredible work that they do, please do not hesitate to contact us at acdontario@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing you in Santa Barbara!

SCHULICH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY BUILDING YOUR FUTURE IN DENTISTRY EVENING, MARCH 25, 2026

KARIN VAN RYSWYK TREASURER The Ontario Section of the American College of Dentists (ACD) and the Schulich Student Professional and Educational Association (SPEA), together with sponsor MNP, hosted an engaging evening for Schulich Dentistry students on March 25, 2026, at the London Hunt and Country Club. The theme of the event, "Building Your Future in Dentistry," focused on preparing students for both the professional and financial aspects of their future careers. Following a buffet dinner, Dr. Shawn Steele, Chair of the ACD Ontario Section, welcomed the students and introduced the evening's distinguished guests, Mr. Jared Bos and Dr. Michelle Ryan. Mr. Jared Bos of MNP delivered an informative presentation on financial and tax planning during dental school and beyond graduation. He discussed eligible student expenses, tax-saving opportunities, the potential use of professional corporations in future practice, and a variety of other financial considerations. His presentation generated significant interest, and students engaged in a lively question-and-answer session. Dr. Michelle Ryan spoke about the professional and ethical responsibilities dentists have toward their patients and the role of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) in ensuring these standards are upheld. Through practical examples, she illustrated both appropriate and inappropriate professional conduct and discussed the potential consequences of ethical and regulatory breaches.

The evening concluded with Dr. Karin Van Ryswyk presenting the American College of Dentists Outstanding Student Leadership Awards to Mansha Nayyar and Sophia Kim. Mansha Nayyar served as President of SPEA for 2024-2025, while Sophia Kim served as National Regent for SPEA during the same term. Both recipients demonstrated exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to supporting the needs of Schulich Dentistry students. Students expressed great appreciation for the opportunity to learn from the speakers, and many remained after the formal program to ask additional questions and continue discussions. The Ontario Section of the ACD extends its sincere thanks to MNP for its generous sponsorship and ongoing support. The evening was a tremendous success, providing students with valuable insights and practical guidance as they prepare for their future careers in dentistry.

HONOURING OUR LEGACY, BUILDING OUR FUTURE

MUNTDR (MOONY) MADLOL WEBSITE DESIGNER & ADMINISTRATOR DDS CLASS OF 2028 The American College of Dentists Ontario Section is entering an exciting new chapter with the launch of its new and improved website. The project began with a simple goal: to create a more welcoming, organized, and useful digital home for the Ontario Section while preserving the history, professionalism, and values that have long defined the College. The refreshed website brings together upcoming events, executive leadership, publications, educational resources, podcasts, photographs, and opportunities for members to become involved. My name is Muntdr (Moony) Madlol, and I am a third-year Doctor of Dental Surgery student at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. As the ACD Ontario Section's Website Designer and Administrator, I was deeply honoured to lead the redesign and development of this new platform. Building the website allowed me to combine modern digital tools with the guidance, experience, and institutional knowledge of established leaders in dentistry. That intersection between generations became one of the most meaningful parts of the project. Technology is not replacing tradition; it is helping preserve it, make it more accessible, and create new ways for members, students, and future leaders to engage with it. The website has been designed to remain professional and simple while making information easier to find and allowing room for future growth. Its continued success will depend on the photographs, stories, publications, and contributions shared by members across Ontario.

Accessing and Navigating the Website Fellows can now visit acdontario.org in any web browser. The navigation menu provides direct access to events, the Executive Committee, publications, the Podcast Spotlight, photographs, social media, student initiatives, and contact information. On a phone or tablet, select the menu button to view these sections. Event details and publications are currently protected with the temporary password ACD2026. I am sincerely grateful to the ACD Ontario leadership for their trust, encouragement, and willingness to include a dental student in this process. It has been a privilege to design and launch a website that honours the College's legacy while supporting its future. Ultimately, this project is about more than a website. It is about connection: between members, between ideas, and between generations united by a commitment to excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry.