May
NCCM Raises Concerns About Ontario Dental Association Board Member's Apology for Harmful Posts
Written by National Council of Canadian MuslimsA task force report commissioned by the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) has concluded that Dr. Jonathan Mayer, a Director at the Association, is responsible for several online posts that are “inflammatory,” “dismissive,” “stigmatizing,” “problematic,” “alienating,” and/or “offensive and divisive.”
Here’s why we [National Council of Canadian Muslims] feel that Dr. Mayer’s apology, after the task force report, is insufficient.
Dr. Mayer’s behaviour has been deeply damaging not just to the Association, but also to the trust built between dental professionals and the Ontario public in need of their services.
As the report concludes, his actions severely impaired important standards of neutrality and fairness expected from all licensed professionals serving the broader public.
In the interim, we have received significant correspondence from Muslim dentists across Ontario expressing serious concern with Dr. Mayer’s most recent apology.
Many have urged that it should not be accepted, noting that it was issued in response to the task force report rather than the original concerns raised by the community.
It is now incumbent upon the ODA to identify why Dr. Mayer chose not only not to apologize to the membership, as per our understanding, until the findings of the report were issued, but was also elevated in status on the ODA board after the findings of this report.
All Ontarians and Canadians have a right to expect the highest level of professionalism, fairness, and respect from their health care and dental practitioners.
Dr. Mayer’s actions undermined these principles. Real accountability, alongside sincere and responsive community engagement, is the only way forward.
