Working on wellness: U of T Dentistry focuses on its people
By Rachel Boutet
The Faculty of Dentistry is prioritizing the health and wellness of its staff, faculty and students through various committees and working groups. Despite her busy schedule, Athena Zhong, fourth-year DDS student, has a membership on both the Faculty’s Wellness Committee and the Dean’s Wellness Initiatives Working Group.
“Dental school is an incredibly rewarding yet demanding journey, requiring us to excel academically and clinically at levels we have never faced before,” says Zhong. “When I realized that many of us were experiencing similar challenges, I wanted to advocate for my peers and prioritize student wellness by serving as my class’s Wellness Committee representative. I have always been passionate about organizing events, and mental health is a cause close to my heart.”
Zhong notes that through the Working Group, initiated by interim dean Laura Tam, she gets to work alongside faculty, staff, and students, enabling them to see different perspectives and
develop initiatives that strengthen the bonds within the Faculty of Dentistry community.
“Wellness continues to be a priority at the Faculty and at the University of Toronto,” says Tam. “We need to be actively mindful about the well-being of others. I am committed to maintaining a dialogue about mental health to help reduce stigma, increase awareness, offer support, find connection and build resilience.”
The Dean’s Wellness Initiatives Working Group consists of four sub-committees for: undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty/instructors, and staff. Previous and upcoming events include games/puzzle lunches, dog therapy, presentations on mental health, demonstrations on resistance training, and bake sales.
The Faculty wasn’t always leading the way on wellness, but the changes made over the past years have had a positive impact on members of the Dentistry community.
“Over the past four years, I have witnessed significant progress in the Faculty’s commitment to student wellness,” says Zhong. “The establishment of the Dean’s Wellness Initiatives Working Group has allowed us to collaborate and launch the Quercus Wellness shell, enriching it with mental health and wellness resources tailored for all undergraduate and graduate students in the Faculty of Dentistry. Additionally, an annual budget allocation for wellness activities has enabled us to organize a variety of engaging events, including an International Potluck, pet therapy, yoga sessions, pumpkin carving, and ice skating. These events not only bring students closer together but also reinforce the idea that wellness is an integral part of dental education.”
Zhong says balancing dental school with wellness can be challenging, especially during exam season, but she finds grouping activities into the four pillars of nutrition, physical activity, sleep and social connections, is a strategy that works for her. This includes trying new ingredients to cook with, walking for at least 20 minutes a day, prioritizing a full night’s sleep, and staying in close contact with friends and family. Zhong’s advice for students struggling to prioritize their mental health is to start small.
“Trying to implement too many wellness changes at once can be overwhelming – I recommend keeping a detailed calendar to organize responsibilities while ensuring that health and wellness remain a top priority,” she says. “Wellness is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. It is important we focus on our own needs rather than comparing ourselves to others. The key is to explore different approaches and remain patient with the process.”
Top photo: Athena Zhong (Jeff Comber)