Orientation Week 2024

Orientation Week (O-Week) 2024 has kicked off at the Faculty of Dentistry.

First-year DDS students are gearing up to enjoy a week’s worth of events run by O-Week organizers. Kaitlyn Jacob 2T7, Juan Fernandez 2T7 and Hossein Motamed 2T7 are this year’s O-Week coordinators, and with the help of their team, will be hosting the newest DDS students at a variety of events from August 26 to 30. This year’s theme is “Dental O(lympics)”, complete with both opening and closing ceremonies and groups split into countries such as El Salivador, Molarocco, Implantartica and Periotugal.

“I had such a great experience with my own O-Week and it made me really passionate about getting involved this year,” says Jacob. “I feel like I really lucked out my O-Week group – we bonded through orientation activities and have been best friends ever since.”

The students will be divided into nine groups representing different countries. All of the activities and challenges will have a dental theme or component to help give students early exposure to the materials and terms they will encounter in their studies.

The first day of O-Week kicks with a welcome event with speakers including interim dean Laura Tam, director of advancement, Selina Esteves, and direct of student life, Joel Rosenbloom. Students will grab ‘swag bags’ including a backpack, water bottle and other fun giveaways, and head to the park to play in a 2T7 vs. 2T8 competition.

“We thought including second-year students would be a nice way for the incoming class to form connections with their peers,” says Jacob. “The coffee day chats will also help prompt students to get to know people outside of their O-Week team. It’s really important for us to help them foster relationships early on in their dental school experience.”

The rest of the week includes a trip to the ROM, a CN tower dinner, the White Coat Ceremony, the annual “Amazing Race”, a boat cruise and a day at the Toronto Island. The last day will cap off with the O(lympic) closing ceremonies.

“We took last year’s incredible Orientation Week and added some new elements,” says Jacob. “For example, this year the Amazing Race will include some guest appearance from first-year professors. We’ve also decided to start some activities a bit later to account for commuting students. I have such fond memories of my own O-Week, specifically the boat cruise and the White Coat Ceremony, and I can’t wait to see these new students make incredible memories and life-long friends of their own.”

Financial assistance and planning for O-Week was supported by the student services office, the office of student life and the alumni office.

Photo: O-Week 2024 coordinators