A World-Class Foundation

Why One Alum Still Champions U of T Dentistry

When Axel Ruprecht 6T8 reflects on his time at the Faculty of Dentistry, it’s with both fondness and perspective – the kind that only comes from a career spanning continents.

A member of the Class of 1968, Ruprecht remembers a Faculty in transition. “We were taught to practice sit-down dentistry, but with units that were designed for stand-up dentistry,” he says with a laugh. “I guess we learned to be flexible.” The building has since undergone significant renovations, but even then, he recalls a strong sense that dentistry — and the Faculty itself — was evolving.

What has stayed with him most is the dedication of his professors. “Some of them really cared about the students,” he says. “I remember talking to instructors who had real-life practice experience.” The training was demanding, but it was only after graduating that he fully appreciated its calibre. “It was hard — but once you left, you realized it was a world-class university.”

Ruprecht is uniquely positioned to make that assessment. Over the course of his career in oral and maxillofacial radiology, he taught at Western University, the University of Saskatchewan, King Saud University and Philipps University of Marburg and spent 28 years at the University of Iowa, where he directed the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Program. After retiring at age 70, he was recruited by the University of Florida to help with its new residency program in the specialty.

"Whenever I read about the world standing of U of T, I am even more proud"

Having taught across Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Ruprecht has seen firsthand how dental schools are shaped by their local cultures. What distinguishes U of T, he says, is its global outlook. “Whenever I read about the world standing of U of T, I am even more proud,” he says. “It is an absolutely world-class institution – something that is sometimes hard to appreciate while studying there.” Its research intensity and diverse population, he adds, create an environment that prepares graduates to lead anywhere in the world.

He believes the Faculty is continuing on the right track, with an even greater emphasis on research than in the past and facilities that continue to modernize alongside the profession itself. As dentistry shifts toward prevention and new technologies, learning environments must evolve too.

Ruprecht remains deeply proud to be a graduate. And he hopes fellow alumni will share that pride — by mentoring, volunteering, advocating and offering financial support. “You never know,” he says, “when that pride will come back in unexpected and meaningful ways.”

Top photo: Axel's graduation picture