A wide smile crossed the face of Gurpreet Kaur as she held her two-year-old son, Azaad, after the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry and School of Dental Hygiene’s Opening Assembly on the evening of Sept. 12.
“I’m just looking forward to the next two years,” said Kaur, one of seven students in the International Dentist Degree Program’s Class of 2026.
Gurpreet Kaur
Kaur trained to be a dentist in her home country of India. She immigrated to Canada in 2018 and said she chose UM to further her dental training because of the long history of success associated with the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry.
“I thought it would be a great experience for myself,” said Kaur, who was proudly wearing the coat she was presented with during the White Coat Ceremony.
The Opening Assembly began with Dr. Anastasia Kelekis-Cholakis, dean of the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, welcoming the learners to their new lives as dentistry and dental hygiene students.
“Please take the time tonight to celebrate with your family and friends your achievement and hard work,” Kelekis-Cholakis told the students gathered in Brodie Centre atrium.
“You’re here because you have earned it. I want to wish you all the very best in your upcoming journey through the School of Dental Hygiene and Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.”
Mary Bertone, director of the School of Dental Hygiene, welcomed the students and explained that the White Coat Ceremony is a time-honoured tradition at UM.
“It is an occasion that symbolizes your transition into the noble field of health care,” Bertone said. “It is a time for you to feel a profound sense of pride as you envision the significant impact you will make on the community through your studies and future work.”
Dr. Joel Antel, president of the Canadian Dental Association and member of the UM dental Class of 1979, congratulated the learners in his keynote address.
“I encourage you to remember how much you wanted this and the enthusiasm and excitement around being accepted in,” Antel said.
“As you go through your courses, keep that momentum going. Keep your eye on the prize at the end of the day. There will be challenges. There will be obstacles – there always are with anything worth doing – but there will be more rewards.”
Asra Khonsari
Dr. Daron Baxter, president of the Manitoba Dental Association, and Jennifer Upward, president of the Manitoba Dental Hygienists Association, brought greetings on behalf their respective organizations.
Along with being presented with their first white coats, the students recited the Community Code.
Asra Khonsari, one of the 29 dental students in the Class of 2028, said that reciting the code brought to light her deep commitment to her future patients.
Nicole Oliver
“It made me realize that I’m not in the dental program just for myself, but mostly for my patients. It’s very important from now on to prioritize the well-being of others in the community,” said Khonsari, who worked as a dental assistant for two years and is a co-founder of a start-up aimed at easing the discomfort patients experience during dental procedures.
Nicole Oliver was also a dental assistant and worked in that field for four years. She is now one of 26 students in the dental hygiene Class of 2026.
“It’s super exciting,” Oliver said. “This is a really big milestone in all our lives. It’s the start of a new professional journey.”