ANNUAL REPORT
Progress with Purpose 2024
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) regulates the practice of dentistry in Ontario. We assure the public’s access to safe, high-quality dental services by providing leadership to the dental profession.
The RCDSO is responsible for:
• Setting the education and other qualifications necessary to become a registered professional.
• Developing professional and ethical standards and guidelines.
• Holding registered health professionals accountable for their conduct and practice through a complaints and investigation process.
WE LICENSE DENTISTS
We ensure only qualified, competent, and ethical individuals are licensed to practise dentistry in Ontario.
WE INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS
We respond to concerns about dentists’ conduct or care through a fair and transparent complaints process.
WE GOVERN RESPONSIBLY
We work with our Council to ensure transparent decisionmaking and uphold the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of regulation.
Our Role in Dental Care
WE ENSURE QUALITY
We promote continuous improvement in dental care through quality assurance programs and practice assessments.
WE OFFER GUIDANCE
We support dentists with clear standards, resources and advice from our Practice Advisory team to help them deliver safe, ethical and high-quality care.
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Looking ahead, we will keep building strong relationships with our partners and focus on making our processes more responsive, transparent and efficient.
Leading with Purpose
Our 2024 annual report tells the story of meaningful progress in the face of a changing and evolving regulatory environment.
We modernized our governance practices; deepened engagement with dentists and the public; and strengthened collaboration with system partners to advance oral health care in Ontario. These achievements, which will be outlined later in this report, reflect the College’s commitment to the priorities outlined in our 2023–2025 Strategic Plan.
The launch of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) represented a historic shift in access to oral health care. We engaged directly with federal and provincial partners to help ensure integration between the CDCP and existing provincial programs. The College also developed resources to help patients and dentists understand the Plan and its implications.
We further demonstrated our commitment to inclusive, patient-centered care by welcoming Rainbow Health Ontario and Special Olympics Ontario as new continuing education sponsors.
As the College advanced the transfer of the Professional Liability Program (PLP) to a third party, our focus was to ensure continuity and stability for both patients and dentists. The feedback we received from dentists has been instrumental in shaping our approach to divestment, ensuring that the future model reflects their priorities.
Throughout the year, we invited input from dentists, the public and system partners through public consultations. These consultations are essential; the feedback collected helps us develop or update standards of practice and other resources, ensuring they reflect evolving patient needs and are grounded in the realities of clinical practice.
We are closely monitoring shifts in practice models, including the growth of corporate dentistry and direct-to-consumer dentistry, as well as the increased use of artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making.
We also provided continuing education opportunities to hundreds of registrants through our RCDSO Connect webinars, with sessions focused on antimicrobial stewardship, cybersecurity, the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program and more. We hosted a booth at the Ontario Dental Association’s Annual Spring Meeting, and an in-person RCDSO Connect event in London, Ontario. These events provided valuable opportunities to connect with dentists and students.
Looking ahead, we will keep building strong relationships with our partners and focus on making our processes more responsive, transparent and efficient.
Thank you to our Council, staff, registrants and partners for their dedication and collaboration.
Together, we are making real progress ‒ with purpose.
Daniel Faulkner Registrar & CEO
Royal
College
of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
“Building on the progress we have made, Council remains committed to a decision-making approach that is fair, inclusive and responsive to the changing needs of the public and the profession.
Governance in Action
In 2024, RCDSO Council took deliberate steps to strengthen how we govern, bringing sharper focus to strategy and reaffirming our commitment to diversity and accountability.
We began exploring reforms to our electoral model to support a more inclusive, competency-based approach to leadership.
Equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) remain central to our work. Council approved a formal EDIA statement to anchor our purpose and guide our actions across all areas of regulation, from registration and quality assurance to complaints and discipline. These efforts are grounded in the belief that a focus on good governance and EDIA ensure that our regulatory system is fair, responsive and reflective of the communities we serve. We remain guided by one principle: acting in the public’s interest.
Our commitment to progress included a focus on modernizing the College’s standards of practice. In response to consistent feedback from dentists, we recognized the need for standards that are current, evidenceinformed, and more user-friendly. Throughout the year, Council played a central role in shaping the direction of future updates to standards, providing strategic guidance and insight. This foundational work is essential to ensuring that the
College’s standards continue to support safe, effective and highquality care across the profession.
Council also advanced the divestment of the Professional Liability Program, with thoughtful oversight from the Procurement Review Group, comprised of dentists and public representatives. We will continue to ensure the divestment process is clear, reduces risk to the College, and that the profession has access to accurate, helpful information every step of the way.
Building on the progress we have made, Council remains committed to a decision-making approach that is fair, inclusive and responsive to the changing needs of the public and the profession.
I extend my gratitude to our Registrar & CEO Dan Faulkner, our dedicated staff, and fellow Council members for their unwavering commitment to advancing our shared mission.
Dr. Harinder Sandhu President of Council
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
The Profession
11,313 Dentists on register
3,070 1,725 2,520 572
Ensuring Competence and Integrity
The College ensures that only qualified and competent individuals are authorized to practise dentistry in Ontario. Applicants must meet not only the required educational standards but also the legal requirements outlined in provincial legislation. Our registration processes are guided by the principles of fairness and accountability. 769 General certificate
Average number of days from when an application is received to when it’s assessed
Average number of days from completed application to approval
RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK AND TOOL
RCDSO developed a standardized regulatory Risk Assessment Framework and Tool to be used across all program areas. By clearly outlining how decisions are guided by risk and made in the public interest, the framework supports fair registration outcomes for applicants.
Starting in 2025, the Registration Committee will apply this tool to all registration decisions.
HEALTH PROFESSION CORPORATIONS
To operate legally, a Health Profession Corporation must obtain and maintain a certificate of authorization from the College, ensuring regulatory compliance and professional accountability within a corporate structure.
In 2024, the College continued to support the profession by efficiently processing a high volume of applications related to Health Profession Corporations.
Total HPCs 963 8,849
New HPC applications
Supporting Quality Care Through Continued Competence
RCDSO’s Quality Assurance (QA) Program helps ensure the ongoing professional competence of dentists practicing in Ontario. The program includes three core components:
Continuing Education (CE)
Practice Enhancement Tool (PET)
Jurisprudence & Ethics Course
The program supports the College’s broader commitment to quality care by advancing standards of practice and contributing to strategic priorities such as improving access to care and promoting equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA).
We believe that developing and sustaining cultural competency is essential to providing patient-centered care. In 2024, the College approved two new organizations as CE sponsors. These organizations offer learning opportunities to help dentists understand cultural context, with a focus on supporting patients with disabilities and diverse sexual identities to increase patient access to safe, accessible and inclusive oral health care.
6,737 CE AUDITS
93.5% met the requirements/had a minor shortfall
2 NEW APPROVED CE SPONSORS
Special Olympics Ontario Expands the opportunities for dentists to better support patients living with disabilities
Rainbow Health Ontario Helps healthcare providers to better serve 2SLGBTQ communities
11,315 ANNUAL DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE
99.6% in compliance
27 PET ASSESSMENTS
100% passed on the first attempt
QA by the numbers
EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
35 presentations to dentists and students
2746 attendees
• Dental Recordkeeping
• Infection Prevention And Control (IPAC)
• Oral surgery and implants
• PLP informative sessions
• Communication breakdown
• Patient safety incidents and adverse events
Listening and Collaborating
Listening
In 2024, the College deepened its commitment to meaningful engagement by inviting input from registrants, the public and system partners on key regulatory initiatives. Public consultations informed the development of three standards of practice, a guideline, a practice advisory and other resources, ensuring they reflect evolving patient needs, clinical realities and professional responsibilities. Through our RCDSO Connect webinar series and presence at professional events across Ontario, we created more opportunities for dentists to stay informed, earn continuing education (CE) points, and contribute to the future of the profession.
These touchpoints strengthen our role as a modern regulator; one that listens, learns, and leads with transparency and collaboration.
As a modern regulator, we lead with transparency, listen with intent, and learn through collaboration.
PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
¨ Access to Care: Accepting New PatientsFoundations of Professionalism
¨ Practice Models and Corporate Dentistry
¨ Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Dentistry
¨ Educational Requirements and Professional Responsibilities for Implant Dentistry
¨ Maintaining a Professional PatientDentist Relationship
¨ Prevention of Boundary Violations and Sexual Abuse
¨ Consent to Treatment
¨ By-law amendments for operational improvements in the election process
RCDSO CONNECT WEBINARS
Connecting with 2,000+ dentists on a range of topics:
¨ Malpractice protection and investigations and complaints
¨ Continuing education, e-Portfolio enhancements, and new opportunities to earn CE points
¨ New! In-person event at Western University (London) 100+ attendees – Opportunity to strengthen ties with registrants across Ontario
¨ Cybersecurity, non-Council committee application process
¨ Moving the needle on dental antibiotic overuse – a sustainable Canadian antimicrobial stewardship approach AND Taking a Bite out of Tooth Pain: A Toolkit for Using Antibiotics Wisely (from Choosing Wisely).
ONTARIO DENTAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL SPRING MEETING
400+ visitors
Collaborating
Partnerships continue to play a vital role in advancing our strategic goals. In 2024, the College worked with system partners to improve access to care, enhance regulatory practices and support the dental profession.
Through coordinated efforts with key system partners, RCDSO pursued the following initiatives:
ONTARIO DENTAL ASSOCIATION
Advanced key initiatives focused on improvements to the Canadian Dental Care Plan, access to care, and jointly developed frameworks to support emergency class registrants.
ONTARIO’S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
Participation at a regulatory table to review and implement IPAC standards across health care environments.
ONTARIO DENTAL FACULTIES: WESTERN UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Developed groupbased remedial course opportunities to enhance student competencies and support academic success.
WESTERN’S SCHULICH
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY
Explored funding sources to support a project focused on:
Utilizing internationally trained dentists in supervised roles
Expanding care in underserved communities
Supporting dental practices with staffing challenges
ALLIANCE FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE
Shared educational resources on access to care.
Strengthening Governance, Advancing Equity
In 2024, we continued to advance our governance modernization efforts, purposefully aligning our structures and practices to support a more effective and fair regulatory system.
Council discussions have shifted toward more strategic, public-interest-focused dialogue to ensure that decision-making remains aligned with our mandate to protect the public.
ENHANCING COMMITTEE EXPERTISE
The Discipline Committee has seen an unprecedented increase in referrals. To manage a growing caseload and support fair, effective decision-making, Council approved the appointment of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to the Discipline and Fitness to Practise committees. They will support the committee by chairing panels, drafting panel decisions, and supporting training and orientation.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY (EDIA)
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) is essential to ensuring safe, equitable, and competent oral health care. We integrate EDIA principles across all areas of our work, including registration, education and professional standards. Council approved a formal statement to anchor our purpose and reinforce our responsibility to address systemic barriers and promote meaningful change.
ADDRESSING BIAS IN COMMITTEE DECISIONS
The College has implemented safeguards to support fair and impartial decisions by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee, the Fitness to Practice Committee and the Discipline Committee.
This includes ongoing education, discussions and clear processes to help committee members recognize and mitigate potential bias. Learn more
ELECTORAL DISTRICT REFORM
The Governance Committee explored updates to the current electoral framework to support a more competency-based and inclusive approach to candidate selection.
CURRENT STRUCTURE:
PROPOSED UPDATE:
Multiple electoral districts
Elections every 2 years
12 Council members
Single district provincewide election model
◇ Diversity of candidates
Staggered terms
◇ To preserve institutional knowledge and improve stability
Reduce the size of Council from 12 to 10 elected dentists
◇ Effective decision-making and close to parity of professional to public members
Streamlining Investigations and
In 2024, we focused on reducing investigation backlogs and improving the efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness of our complaints and inquiry processes.
ENHANCED PUBLIC ACCESS TO COMPLAINTS PROCESS
We introduced changes to our online complaints form, offering the public more flexibility and choice in how they report concerns. This userfocused update supported greater accessibility and transparency.
Complaints received
ONGOING COMMITMENT TO EFFICIENCY
Our efforts in 2023 laid the groundwork for continued improvements in 2024. By refining workflows and leveraging feedback, we reduced investigation timelines and enhanced the overall experience for the public and stakeholders.
Enhancing Public Access
Transparent, Fair and Timely Decisions
This year, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) referred a significant number of matters to the Discipline Committee, reflecting its commitment to accountability and regulatory excellence. Both the ICRC and the Discipline Committee have taken meaningful steps to enhance their processes, focusing on timely decisionmaking, procedural fairness, and clear communication with all parties involved. As part of these efforts, we added subject-matter experts to ICRC panels to ensure decisions are informed by specialized knowledge and experience. These improvements are part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen public trust and ensure that decisions are made with integrity and in accordance with the highest standards of regulatory practice.
Investigations referred to Discipline Committee
Hearings held
Decisions
Decisions issued
Decisions appealed by complainants or registrants
Decisions upheld by the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board
40
6
685 57 56
Navigating Change, Maintaining Protection
DIVESTMENT PROCESS
As the College advances the transfer of the Professional Liability Program (PLP) to a third party, our priority remains ensuring continuity and stability for both patients and dentists. At registration, dentists’ PLP coverage continued through 2025.
At the end of 2023, as part of the divestment exploration process, we distributed a comprehensive survey to all registrants to better understand their perspectives on the elements of PLP and identify the aspects they value most. The survey findings are available here
In 2024, we engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as the College’s financial advisor to support and guide the competitive divestiture process. PwC is responsible for developing the divestiture strategy, managing bid submissions, and leading negotiations and the selection process.
PLP PROTECTION EXTENDS BEYOND ONTARIO
PLP protection was extended to dentists licenced in Ontario who also seek licensure in another Canadian province or territory, provided the regulator accepts PLP protection.
INCIDENTS
PLP opened 1,860 new files in response to potential or actual demands for compensation. These matters fall into four main categories:
434 Precautionary matters
397
Our priority remains ensuring continuity and stability for both patients and dentists.
Looking ahead
The RCDSO is building on the strong foundation laid in 2024— streamlining investigations and licensure, enhancing public and registrant access to information and resources, and improving responsiveness. These and other initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to regulatory excellence and public trust.
We are embracing innovation in the AI age, modernizing our policies and systems, and deepening engagement with the public and the profession. Our focus remains clear: to be a responsive, transparent, and forward-thinking regulator.
With the continued commitment of our staff, Council, and system partners, the College is wellequipped to proactively address emerging issues. Together, we are advancing a regulatory approach that prioritizes accountability, effective collaboration and a commitment to quality.
The People Behind the Mission
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dr. Harinder Sandhu, President
Marc Trudell, Vice-President
Dr. Nalin Bhargava
David Bishop
Brian Smith
Dr. Erin Walker
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES
Dr. Nalin Bhargava District 1
Dr. Robyn Somerville District 2
Dr. Peter Delean District 3
Dr. Mark Eckler District 4
Dr. Nancy Di Santo
Dr. Harinder Sandhu
Dr. Erin Walker
Dr. Osama Soliman
Dr. Antony Liscio
Dr. Deborah Wilson
Dr. Amelia Chan
Dr. Anthony Mair
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
NON-COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Dr. Jocelyne Abi-Nahed
Dr. Gajender Ahlawat
Dr. Lucia Ambrochi
Dr. Harpaul Anand
Dr. Paul Azzopardi
Dr. Ian Brockhouse
Dr. Rajiv Butany
Dr. Vincent Carere
Dr. Alexis Clark
Dr. Mae Daemi
Dr. Ousama Damlaj
Dr. Malgosia DeAngelis
Dr. Priscilla de Araujo
Dr. Peter Derham
Dr. Irwin Golosky
Dr. Nicole Greenwood
Dr. Eilyad Honarparvar
Dr. Gehan Ibrahim
Dr. Boris Jelusic
Dr. Gajanan Kulkarni
APPOINTED BY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL
David Bishop
Ram Chopra
James Colliver
Cristina Cordeiro
Eleonora Fisher
Vivian Hu
Nizar Ladak
Brian Smith
Roderick Stableforth
Marc Trudell
Judith Welikovitch
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Dr. Daniel Haas
Dr. Noha Gomaa
Dr. Victor Kutcher
Dr. Virginia Luks
Dr. Amro Mahder Bashi
Dr. Laura Minea
Dr. Anita Moosani
Dr. Neil Moss
Dr. Ramona Motakef
Dr. Maryam Pezeshki
Dr. Jay Rabinovich
Dr. Arnold Reich
Dr. Mehran Shahabi
Dr. Neil Silver
Dr. Susan Sutherland
Dr. Andre Theoret
Dr. Vanessa Theriault
Dr. Kate Towarnicki
Dr. Jennifer Tse
Dr. Mingyang Xie
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT ON SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Independent Auditor’s Report On Summary Financial Statements
Ontario
To the Members of Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
OPINION
financial statements, which comprise the summary statement of financial position as at December 31, 2024, statement of operations for the year then ended, and the related note, are derived from the audited financial the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario for the year ended December 31, 2024.
THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OUR REPORT THEREON
the accompanying summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited financial statements on described in the note to the summary financial statement.
Financial Statements
The summary financial statements, which comprise the summary statement of financial position as at December 31, 2024, the summary statement of operations for the year then ended, and the related note, are derived from the audited financial statements of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario for the year ended December 31, 2024.
We expressed an unmodified audit opinion on the audited financial statements in our report dated June 19, 2025.
financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Canadian accounting standards for organizations. Reading the summary financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon, therefore, is not a reading the audited financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon. The summary financial statements financial statements do not reflect the effects of events that occurred subsequent to the date of our report financial statements.
Financial Statements and Our Report Thereon
In our opinion, the accompanying summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited financial statements on the basis described in the note to the summary financial statement.
MANAGEMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Management is responsible for the preparation of the summary financial statements on the basis described in the note to the summary financial statements.
an unmodified audit opinion on the audited financial statements in our report dated June 19, 2025.
SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility for the Summary Financial Statements
responsible for the preparation of the summary financial statements on the basis described in the note to the financial statements.
Responsibility
responsibility is to express an opinion on whether the summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited statements based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with Canadian Auditing Standard (CAS) Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements .
The summary financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. Reading the summary financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon, therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon. The summary financial statements and the audited financial statements do not reflect the effects of events that occurred subsequent to the date of our report on the audited financial statements.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on whether the summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited financial statements based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with Canadian Auditing Standard (CAS) 810, Engagements to ReportonSummaryFinancialStatements
Licensed Public Accountants
Licensed Public Accountants
Toronto, Ontario
June 19, 2025
Dental Surgeons of
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
Summary Statement of Financial Position
$ 94,437,829
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
Summary Statement of Operations
Notes To The Summary Financial Statements
The preparation of these summary financial statements requires management to determine the information that needs to be included to ensure they are consistent in all material respects with, or represent a fair summary of, the audited financial statements.
Management prepared these summary financial statements using the following criteria:
a. The summary financial statements include a statement for each statement in the audited financial statements, except the statement of changes in net assets and statement of cash flows, which can be obtained from the complete set of audited financial statements;
b. The information in the summary financial statements is in agreement with the related information in the audited financial statements;
c. Major subtotals, totals and comparative information from the audited financial statements are included; and
d. The summary financial statements contain the information necessary to avoid distorting or obscuring matters disclosed in the related audited financial statements, including the notes thereto.
The audited financial statements may be obtained from the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario at www.rcdso.org
