DENTANTICS is back!

After a four-year hiatus, the highly anticipated Dentantics production attracted nearly 400 people. The show took place on March 3 and 4 at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto. Proceeds will be donated to the U of T’s Faculty of Dentistry’s Access to Care fund, which provides financial assistance to low-income patients who might not otherwise be able to afford dental treatment at the Faculty. This year’s show raised approximately $ 3,000 for the fund. 

Dentantics has been a part of our community for a century, with this year’s production marking the 97th edition of the show.

“This captivating U of T Dentistry tradition has always been one of the most anticipated events of the year. It’s an event that showcases our diverse talent and passion for helping others.” says Interim Dean Laura Tam. 

Bringing back this tradition, and staging a show like this, was no small feat. The Dentantics Committee is made up of eight dental students, with two representatives from each year. This year’s Dentantics Committee includes Natalie Modreanu and Shanzeh Khan (DDS1), Anabelle Ng and Rebecca Kassaw (DDS2), Nicholas Principe and Amanda Tittel (DDS3), Gillian Denomme and Ehsan Abolverdi (DDS4). 

 DDS3 students lead the production of the show, since DDS4 students are busy with writing board exams during this time of the year. This year, Nicholas Principe and Amanda Tittel were the lead organizers of the show. They both have an artistic background. Amanda went to an arts high school for singing and was involved in theatre. Nick was very into music growing up and played six different instruments. So, it’s no surprise that they were both immediately drawn to this opportunity. 

Putting on a show is a lot of work. There are so many elements involved, including backstage support, lighting, promotion, etc. “We really did it all, I’ve never felt busier. We learned a lot.” says Amanda. “We’re proud of our reps, and our pit band really kept our show together.” The 2023 pit band consisted of Ehsan Abolverdi, Mohit Bhasin, Jack Weaver, Marc Candeliere, and Athena Zhao. 

 The Dentantics show serves as an outlet for students to express diverse talents. For Nick, who co-hosted the show in drag as Portia Lynn Veneer, the production was also an opportunity to share something quite personal with the wider dentistry community. “I wanted to bring my love of queer art into the school’s community and legitimize queer art in this space.” he says. 

“I felt like this would open up some sort of dialogue and represent for the queer students that we do have. We are not a visible minority, but we are here.” 

Dentantics Committee reps get selected in first year and maintain the commitment for all four years until they graduate. Every year, the Dental Student Society organizes Clubs night for first year students, where students can learn about the different clubs and extracurricular activities that exist at the Faculty. For next year’s production, the Dentantics Committee will be recruiting for additional volunteers. “We really appreciated the support we did get this year. It’s great for students to support each other.” says Nick.  

If you missed it, you can watch the recap of Dentantics 2023: The Reboot here.  If you are interested in getting involved with the show, speak to Nick or Amanda, or look out for the next Clubs night happening in September 2023. 

Written by Nina Ambros

Photo credits: Dentantics Committee 2023