Keeping it in the family: IDAPP attracts dentist couple from India
By Rachel Boutet
On January 8, the 2024 International Dentist Advanced Placement Program (IDAPP) class proudly wore their white coats and took their oath of commitment at the White Coat Ceremony. Friends, family and future colleagues were in attendance – for incoming student Aneri Patel, one attendee was both family and colleague.
Patel is married to Dharm Patel, who joined the Faculty as an IDAPP student last year and is the class president. The pair both completed their dentistry degrees in India before moving to Canada in 2018.
“He was one of my biggest motivators,” says Patel. “I’m so fortunate to have a husband who really understands the field.”
IDAPP is a special six-month preparatory program intended for graduates of non-accredited dental programs. It begins in January each year and at the completion of the program, successful students are admitted directly into DDS3. The White Coat Ceremony also included speeches from Student Life director, Joel Rosenbloom, assistant professor, teaching stream, and director of IDAPP, Gevik Malkhassian, Dr. Harinder Sandhu, president of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, Dr. David Brown, vice-president of the Ontario Dental Association, and Dr. Sunita Joshi, chair of the Ontario Section of the American College of Dentists.
“We are honoured that you have selected our school to continue this next phase of your education,” says interim dean Laura Tam. “This White Coat Ceremony signifies your initiation into the health service community and the next step of your journey towards becoming a health care professional in Canada.”
Malkhassian, like the Patels, emigrated to Canada as an internationally-trained dentist and then attended U of T. “Our program stands as the most comprehensive among the offerings across Canada and I can assure you that you have made the right decision by joining our program,” he says.
As for Patel, after moving to Canada, she took a course from Conestoga College and worked at a long-term home care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic, when help was needed most. She then worked at a dental clinic to help support the family while her husband studied for exams. Once he got into U of T, Patel says it was the right time for her to work on her own application.
“When I got accepted into the Faculty, I felt extremely lucky – it’s one of the most prestigious programs in the world,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to meeting my IDAPP classmates and hearing about their backgrounds. It’s also incredible to be in lectures with professors whose work I’ve been studying for years. It feels like the words I used to read in textbooks have now come alive.”
Patel says she’s grateful to have her husband by her side and has watched him enjoy the program and share insights into what the courses have to offer. She’s excited to now experience it all for herself and hopes their future jobs may align.
“I would love to work with him,” says Patel of her husband. “We have known each other for over a decade – since our first year of dental school. It’s a special experience to watch each others’ progressions and I would love to keep that going together in our future dental careers.”
If you missed the livestream of the event, you can watch it here: Faculty of Dentistry 2024 IDAPP White Coat Ceremony
See more photos from the IDAPP White Coat Ceremony.
*Top photo: IDAPP class and interim dean Laura Tam (Jeff Comber)*