The CDA Honours and Awards Program recognizes individuals across the country who have demonstrated unwavering passion and support for the dental profession in Canada and exhibited consistent commitment to the oral health of Canadians.
This week we bring you the Distinguished Service Award which recognizes outstanding contributions to the dental profession, the dental community or the oral health of Canadians at large, in a given year or outstanding service over a number of years.
2023-24 Distinguished Service Award Recipients
Dr. Martin Gillis
Since graduating in dentistry in 1991, Dr. Gillis has been heavily involved in serving the dental profession and the community in Nova Scotia and beyond. He has served on many boards and committees provincially, nationally and internationally. He has taught at the Dalhousie Faculty of Dentistry and has presented nationally and internationally.
From 2013 to 2021, he was the Registrar of the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia at a time when many national organizations were being re-thought and re-organized to better meet the ever-changing needs of their members. Provincially, he embarked on the goal of updating written standards for dentistry. He was also a founding member of the Nova Scotia Regulated Heath Professions Network. He set up emergency clinics and re-introduced comprehensive dentistry at the start of the COVID pandemic and was the liaison for the profession with the Provincial Chief Medical Officer.
To quote his nominator: “Whatever Martin takes on, he does so with total commitment, and he consistently delivers excellence. He has served his profession over many years at the highest level”.
Dr. Jennifer MacLellan
Teacher, public health advocate, mentor, researcher and pediatric specialist, are just a few words that can be used to describe Dr. Jennifer MacLellan. She is a role model not only in the Nova Scotia community but also nationally. She has served as NSDA President, supported the profession through the COVID pandemic, and made a huge effort to be available to the profession during that difficult time. She is dedicated to wellness and ensuring that the NSDA Membership has continuing education sessions and resources to increase wellness in their personal and professional lives.
Jennifer was instrumental in advocating for necessary changes to improve the Nova Scotia Oral Health Program for children. She has a keen interest in public health and integrated her public health knowledge into her work with the NDSA around the prevention of early childhood caries and accessing public programs. She is an excellent educator, dedicated to ensuring that undergraduate and graduate curriculums are evidence-based, and that the next generation of dentists are well-prepared to enter the profession. She also takes every opportunity to encourage their involvement in organized dentistry and reinforce its importance. She was integral to the success of the Dalhousie outreach program and in helping dental students deliver high quality dental care to children. She has also served as President of the Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Nathalie Morin
After an early career as a military dentist, Dr. Morin became the Director of Professional Services at the Ordre des dentists du Quebec (ODQ) and an Assistant Professor at the McGill Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences. While at the ODQ, she revamped and implemented the Professional Practice General Inspection Program ensuring that the inspection would be a positive and instructive experience for Quebec dentists.
In 2017, she became Clinic Director at the McGill Faculty and took on all the duties that this entailed. In 2020, she became the Faculty’s Associate Dean of Clinic Affairs as the COVID shutdown occurred. She was instrumental in leading the re-opening of both clinics and the simulation laboratory, making sure to use rigorous infection prevention and control protocols to ensure health and safety. Throughout this challenging time she ensured patients received the care they needed, and that dental students were well-trained and could graduate.
On top of these demanding activities, Nathalie also volunteered to serve as a member of the ODQ’s Professional Inspection Committee, the ACFD Clinical Affairs Committee and the NDEB Examinations Committee and she never stopped and still continues to practice general dentistry.
Please click on the videos below to watch recipient acceptance speeches and tune in next week to hear from more CDA Award recipients!
