President
Dr. Amrinderbir Singh, BDS, MPH
Dr. Amrinderbir Singh is an Assistant Professor, Dental Public Health and Director of Inclusive Community Outreach at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Dentistry. He joined USask after working for four years in Northern Saskatchewan in different capacities as Director of Primary Health Care with Saskatchewan Health Authority and Regional Inter-sectoral Coordinator with Northern Human Services Partnership. Dr. Singh completed his Bachelor of Dental Surgery at Sri Guru Ramdas Institute of Dental Sciences and Research in India and practiced as a dentist before completing his Master of Public Health from USask in 2015. With extensive experience working with Northern Saskatchewan communities, Dr. Singh’s role at USask is to explore opportunities for innovation to extend service and care to priority populations outside of cities. This includes overseeing the six outreach clinics that the College of Dentistry is currently operating across Northern Saskatchewan, as well as establishing relationships and working with different communities and contributors to continue to expand this network of dental clinics that provide care to priority populations across the province. Dr. Singh has spent his career developing and executing a comprehensive, integrated and community based holistic health model. His research interests include Canadian Indigenous oral health, access to oral healthcare services in Canada, spirituality and health, oral health and nutrition, patient and family-centered care, and holistic approaches to oral health.
Past President
Dr. Keith Da Silva, DDS, MSc, FRCD(C)
Dr. Keith Da Silva is an assistant professor at the College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan where he teaches and conducts research in the disciplines of dental public health, pediatric dentistry, and health policy. After practicing as a pediatric dentist for ten years, he recently completed his MSc in dental public health at the University of Toronto, and is now working towards his PhD in public policy. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada in pediatric dentistry, and a candidate for fellowship in dental public health. Dr. Da Silva has also been very engaged with organized dentistry at the provincial and local level, having served as President of the Halton-Peel Dental Association in 2017-2018 as well as numerous committees for the Ontario Dental Association.
Secretary
Ms. Denise Kokaram, MA, RDH
Denise Kokaram is a University of Alberta dental hygiene graduate who passionately advocates for oral health both in clinical practice and public health. A lifelong learner, she also holds a Master of Arts in Leadership with a health specialization from Royal Roads University. Her focus has been on population health, particularly oral health access and equity, with a keen interest in systems innovation and health policy. Denise is the Chief Operating Officer of Nation’s Dental, an innovative approach to delivering affordable, and accessible comprehensive oral healthcare for priority populations utilizing a social entrepreneurial model. She pioneered The Alex Dental Health Bus program and served as the Oral Health Manager for the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia. Serving in a variety of leadership roles on numerous boards and committees focused on health, oral health, regulation, and advocacy, has been both humbling and enriching. These experiences have provided a wealth of knowledge that supports her current mission. Recently, her work with Calgarians for Kids’ Health, a grassroots endeavor by a group of concerned citizens, culminated in successful advocacy for the return of community water fluoridation to Calgary’s drinking water. Denise loves spending time with her family, fur baby Zorro, and friends. She is an avid adventure traveler who enjoys exploring the world, experiencing other cultures, and communing with nature.
Director
Dr. Abiola Adeniyi, BChD, MA, PhD
Dr. Abiola Adeniyi received her undergraduate dental education in Nigeria. She received her PhD from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Dentistry, with a focus on integrated care and interprofessional collaborative care strategies for oral health. She is a researcher, educator, and dental public health professional who specializes in maternal and child oral health, integrated oral health, and interprofessional oral health collaboration. She is a member of several national and international collaborative networks in maternal and child oral health, COVID-19 in dental practice, oral health access, and policy research. She was the first Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Maternal and Child Health at UBC Vancouver’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a tenure track Assistant Professor in Global health and human services at the Fairleigh Dickinson University. She is a current member of the Canadian Association for Dental Public Health’s Board of Directors and served on the Policy Advisory Committee.
Director
Abdulrahman Ghoneim, BDS, RDH, MSc., FRCD (C)
Dr. Abdulrahman Ghoneim is a dentist, registered dental hygienist, and dental public health specialist. He is a PhD candidate in the Discipline of Dental Public Health at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. He has over six years of research experience in dental public health and has presented his work at numerous national and international conferences. His master’s research investigated the impact of non-clinical factors, specifically the competition between dental clinics, on the clinical decision-making of dentists in Ontario. His PhD is focused on estimating the return on investment of providing dental services to individuals who experience financial barriers to care. He strives to translate his research into evidence demonstrating the economic benefits of reducing oral health inequalities in Canada.
Director
Dr. Abbas Jessani, DDS, MSc, PhD
Dr. Jessani is an assistant professor and coordinator for Operative Dentistry at the College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan. After finishing his DDS from the University of Karachi in 2011, Dr. Jessani joined UBC Dentistry for an MSc and Ph.D. while focusing on access to dental care for the marginalized population such as vulnerable pregnant women and HIV-infected individuals. His diverse teaching experience includes community outreach, problem-based learning, and clinical teaching. During his time at UBC, Dr. Jessani won several awards for clinical teaching excellence as well as academic scholarships for his outstanding research skills. Presently, he is leading projects that aims to identify the unmet dental treatment needs and barriers to access to dental care in marginalized populations in Saskatchewan. When not working, Dr. Jessani likes to travel and volunteer his time in the community.
Director
Dr. Anil Menon
Dr. Anil Menon is a Division Head of Dental Public Health and an Assistant Professor at the Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba. He is actively involved in teaching and researching Dental Public Health at the University. Dr. Menon earned his MSc in Dental Public Health from the University of Toronto in 2018 and also holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration from the United States. He has gained valuable experience in his field, having worked for two years with the Children’s Oral Health Project in Nunavut as a Program Evaluation Specialist and Acting Dental Manager. He later served as the Regional Dental Manager at a First Nations Reserve in Moose Factory, Ontario. Dr. Menon also managed the Oral Health Division at Hastings Prince Edward County Public Health Unit in Ontario before taking up his current position. He recently successfully challenged the RCDC and became a Fellow Elect of the College.
Director
Ms. Ashley White, Dental Assistant, SDT, RRDH, BSc
Ashley White got her start in in the field of dentistry 25 years ago as a dental assistant. She went on to complete her studies in the dental therapy and dental hygiene programs, and finally a bachelor of science in Healthcare Administration. Ashley’s employment history is based on a strong knowledge and understanding of the core competencies of dental public health, the broader social determinants of health, community engagement and health promotion in First Nations and Inuit communities. Her passion for public health dentistry has led to a diverse work experience, which includes holding a variety of positions in both the public and private sectors in Switzerland, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Africa, the Canadian arctic, Saskatchewan and most recently the national capital region, Ottawa Ontario. Ashley is currently employed by Indigenous Services Canada, a department within the Government of Canada, where she works as the National Oral Health Promotion Officer for First Nations and Inuit Health Branch in Ottawa, Ontario.