Harmful Comments by a Board Member of the Ontario Dental Association and the Ontario Dental Association’s Need to Act

In our view, the Director's social media activity included disparaging and inflammatory commentary targeting Muslims [see messages here]. These statements have been widely understood as dehumanizing and dismissive of the lives and dignity of a racialized and predominantly Muslim population. It was only a few years ago that we saw massacres of Canadian Muslims in London and in Quebec City, and Islamophobic violence continues to rise.

For many Muslim patients, healthcare workers, and members of the public in Ontario, such rhetoric raises serious concerns about bias, professional judgment, and the ability of leadership within the dental profession to uphold principles of equity and non-discrimination.

The impact of these comments cannot be dismissed as private opinion.

The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) Practice Advisory on the Professional Use of Social Media is clear:

• Professionalism extends to private accounts.
• Dentists must not make “gratuitous, unsubstantiated or unsustainable negative comments” about racialized people or marginalized groups.
• Content must not undermine public confidence in the dental profession.

The Director's conduct, in our view, represents a departure from these standards and has caused significant reputational harm to the profession. To our understanding, there has been no public apology or commitment to do better issued by the Director.

We are also troubled by ODA's response. While the Board has acknowledged concerns, it has deferred action to an unspecified “independent committee,” without publicly disclosing the committee’s composition, mandate, applicable bylaws, or timeline for findings. This approach is not tenable given the gravity of the Director's posts or his refusal to commit to any level of accountability.

The dental profession is built on public trust. Patients must have confidence that those who lead professional bodies adhere to the highest ethical standards, including respect for racialized and marginalized communities. When leadership fails to model that standard, the harm extends beyond one individual. It affects the credibility of the entire profession.

On behalf of affected communities and concerned healthcare professionals, we call for:

1. Immediate Clarity: Public disclosure of the committee’s mandate, composition, timeline, and the specific ODA bylaws being invoked.

2. External Oversight: The engagement of an objective, third-party reviewer to ensure the process is independent and free from internal bias.

3. Decisive Action: The prompt application of ODA bylaws concerning director accountability where professional and ethical standards have been breached.

At a time when hate in Canada is skyrocketing and when many are experiencing heightened discrimination and polarization, professional institutions must demonstrate that prejudice and dehumanizing rhetoric have consequences, particularly when expressed by those in leadership.

The integrity of the Ontario Dental Association and the trust of the Ontario public are at stake.

We urge prompt action.

National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)

You can also send a letter expressing your concern to the Ontario Dental Association via NCCM online here