Celebrating the Class of 2021: Susie Son

By Diane Peters

The DDS class of 2021 has the unique honour of graduating in the second most turbulent year in recent history. While spring 2020 saw dentistry offices closed as dental students were about to graduate, this year the slowly receding pandemic is still impacting dental education, the job market and the world. These resilient new grads have stayed positive and look forward to tackling the next chapter of their careers.

Susie Son just happened to be stopping by Richard Rayman’s office when a phone call came in. It was a dentist looking to hire an associate, and an applicant had put Rayman’s name down as a reference. The two were chatting and Son heard the word “Markham.”

“I live in Markham,” she says, noting her “eyes lit up” when she heard the name of her hometown. Rayman 7T0, assistant professor and director of student life, noticed. “I can give you some names of new grads too if you like,” he told the caller.

Within a few days, Son 2T1 had an interview with the dentist and then an offer for a part-time position. (Not in Markham, but at the dentist’s nearby Whitby location, which is fine by her.)

It looks like Son will fill out her schedule with a second job in North York at a practice recommended to her by a friend.

“When it comes to these job searches, connections are very important. As is being at the right place at the right time.”

As president of the Dental Students’ Society this past year, and a devoted volunteer for much of her time at the Faculty of Dentistry, building relationships and always showing up has been her strength. Son recently earned a University of Toronto Student Leadership Award for her work with the DSS, the Oral Health, Total Health program and the Big Sibs/Little Sibs peer mentorship program.

Her tenure in the top student job began when the school was offering hybrid learning with no face-to-face social events. “A lot of things happen at the beginning of the school year, like barbecues and other events,” she laments. “It’s rough for the first-year students especially. They don’t really know each other and hardly ever get to be in the same space at the same time.”

Looking back, orientation week was a big deal for Son, where she got to meet her colleagues and professors.

To make up for the loss of such events for the 2020-21 school year, Son made an extra effort to keep her messaging to fellow students upbeat. “Anytime I speak or when students reach out to me, I always put in a positive comment. I try to tell everyone they’re not alone.”

Son also has positive words about the dentistry job market for herself and her classmates. “I think it’s a lot better than last year. I think the job market is pretty open and flexible to take on new grads.”

As her cohort gets hired in the GTA and beyond, she’s feeling great about their career prospects and her own as well. “I’m so excited to finally live out my dream job.”

Photo: University College (Jeff Comber)