College Committees

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is composed of the president, the vice president and three members of Council, two of which are public members of Council appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor In Council. The president serves as the chair of the Executive Committee.

Executive Committee has all the powers of the Council of the College between Council meetings and may exercise these powers if, in the Committee’s opinion, a matter requires immediate attention. It must report to Council and does so through minutes and with a formal report at each Council meeting.

It can also meet as a part of the Inquiries, Complaints, Reports Committee to review monitoring and mentoring reports and Registrar’s investigations. These meetings are confidential.

Members

• Dr. Harinder Sandhu, Chair and President
• Marc Trudell, Vice President
• Dr. Nalin Bhargava
• Brian Smith
• Dr. Erin Walker

Executive Committee Meetings

Discipline Committee

The Discipline Committee is responsible for hearing and determining allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence referred to it by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee.

A panel of the Discipline Committee, consisting of a minimum of two dentists and one appointed public member, and a maximum of three dentists and two appointed public members, considers each case and decides whether the allegations have been proven and if so, what penalty is appropriate.

Where a panel of the Discipline Committee finds a member guilty of professional misconduct, it may make one or a combination of the following orders:

• Direct the Registrar to revoke the member’s certificate of registration.
• Direct the Registrar to suspend the member’s certificate of registration for a specified period of time.
• Direct the Registrar to impose specified terms, conditions and limitations on the member’s certificate of registration for a specified or indefinite period of time.
• Require the member to appear before the panel to be reprimanded.
• Require the member to pay a fine of not more than $35,000.00 to the Minister of Finance.

If a panel of the committee is of the opinion that the commencement of the proceedings is unwarranted, it may make an order requiring the College to pay all or part of the member’s legal costs.

In appropriates cases, and where there is a finding of professional misconduct or incompetence, a panel may make an order requiring the member to pay all or part of the College’s costs and expenses.

In cases where there is a finding of professional misconduct, the results of the proceeding must be contained on the College’s Register which is available on the College’s website, as required by the Regulated Health Professions Act. In addition, the Act requires the College to publish a summary of each case.

Discipline Committee Rules of Procedure

Practice Direction about Electronic Hearings

Members

• Judith Welikovitch, Chair
• Dr. Noha Gomaa, Vice-Chair
• Dr. Nalin Bhargava 
• Dr. Amelia Chan 
• Dr. Peter Delean
• Dr. Nancy Di Santo
• Dr. Osama Soliman
• Brian Smith
• Rod Stableforth
• Marc Trudell
• Dr. Ian Brockhouse (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Rajiv Butany (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Virginia Luks (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Eilyad Honarparvar (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Andre Theoret (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Victor Kutcher (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Vanessa Theriault (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Harpaul Anand (Non-Council Committee Member)

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

The Finance, Audit and Risk studies and makes recommendations to Council or the Executive Committee regarding the financial and property requirements of the College, prepares and reviews the annual budget and audit and presents it to Council and recommends fees.

Members

• Marc Trudell, Chair
• Dr. Harinder Sandhu
• Dr. Peter Delean
• Rod Stableforth 
• Dr. Neil Silver (Non-Council Committee Member)

Fitness to Practise Committee

The Fitness to Practise Committee determines if a dentist is incapacitated and, if so, how to deal with the member.

“Incapacitated” means that the member is suffering from a physical or mental condition or disorder that makes it desirable in the interest of the public that the member’s certificate of registration be subject to terms, conditions or limitations, or that the member no longer be permitted to practice.

If a panel of the Fitness to Practise Committee finds that a member is incapacitated, it will make an order doing any one of the following:

• Direct the Registrar to revoke the member’s certificate of registration.
• Direct the Registrar to suspend the member’s certificate of registration.
• Direct the Registrar to impose specified terms, conditions and limitation on the member’s certificate of registration for a specified or indefinite period of time.

Members

• Dr. Peter Delean, Chair
• Dr. Amelia Chan
• Marc Trudell
• Judith Welikovitch
• Dr. Harpaul Anand (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Rajiv Butany (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Ian Brockhouse (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Eilyad Honarparvar (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Victor Kutcher (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Virginia Luks (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Andre Theoret (Non-Council Committee Member)

Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee

The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports (ICR) Committee reviews member-specific concerns that are brought to the College’s attention from various sources, such as formal complaints, mandatory reports and information brought to the attention of the Registrar. Such concerns include allegations of professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity.

The ICR Committee meets in panels of no less than three and no more than five members. The Committee currently has five standing panels that review formal complaints and one standing panel that reviews reports, including Registrar’s reports, incapacity matters and other reports concerning members’ compliance with undertaking/agreements, ICR Committee decisions and Discipline Committee orders.

A panel of the ICR Committee, after investigating a formal complaint or a Registrar’s report, may do any one or more of the following, based on its assessment of risk:

• Take no action if the dentist’s conduct and/or actions meet reasonable and acceptable standards of practice, or if there is insufficient information for the Committee to take action.
• Provide advice and recommendations to the dentist.
• Ask the dentist to enter into an agreement with the College to complete upgrading.
• Require the dentist to complete a specified continuing education or remediation program (SCERP).
• Require the dentist to appear before a panel to be cautioned about his/her practice or conduct.
• Refer the matter to the Discipline Committee to hear specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence.
• Refer the dentist to another panel of the ICR Committee for investigation of possible mental or physical health concerns that might interfere with the dentist’s ability to practise.

The College also has an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program, as permitted by the Regulated Health Professions Act. Any resolutions reached through the ADR program are ratified by a panel of the ICR Committee.

Members

• Dr. Erin Walker, Chair
• Dr. Deborah Wilson 
• Ram Chopra 
• Cristina Cordeiro 
• Eleonora Fisher
• Vivian Hu
• Nizar Ladak 
• Brian Smith
• Dr. Jocelyne Abi-Nahed (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Gajender Ahlawat (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Lucia Ambrochi (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Paul Azzopardi (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. May Daemi (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Malgosia DeAngelis (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Priscilla de Araujo (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Nicole Greenwood (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Boris Jelusic (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Gajanan Kulkarni (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Antony Liscio
• Dr. Amro Mahder Bashi (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Neil Moss (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Laura Minea (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Jay Rabinovich (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Arnold Reich (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Mehran Shahabi (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Susan Sutherland (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Kate Towarnicki (Non-Council Committee Member)

Patient Relations Committee

The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, mandates the College to have a patient relations program. The Patient Relations Committee is responsible for advising Council about the program, which includes the following measures to help prevent and deal with sexual abuse of patients. 

1. Education for dentists regarding sexual abuse and boundary issues.
2. Guidelines for the conduct of dentists with their patients.
3. Training for College staff.
4. Education and information for the public.
5. Funding for therapy and counselling for patients who have been sexually abused by their dentist.

Through its various initiatives, the committee promotes and enhances the relationship between the College and  Ontario dentists, other health profession colleges, key stakeholders and the public.

On May 30, 2017, the Protecting Patients Act strengthened the sexual abuse and transparency provisions in the Regulated Health Professions Act. As a result, the Patient Relations Committee further enhanced its communications, activities and programs.   

Members

• Dr. Vivian Hu, Chair
• Dr. Amelia Chan
• Brian Smith
• Dr. Peter Derham (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Ramona Motakef (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Maryam Pezeshki (Non-Council Committee Member)

Pension Governance Committee

The Pension Governance Committee oversees the administration of the College’s pension plan, including compliance with legal and financial obligations. Its role is to advise Council on how the College meets each of its pension plan’s obligations, the sufficiency of each existing pension plan, the appropriateness of pension plan documents and administrative policies, the performance of each pension plan; and other matters as may be assigned by Council or the Executive Committee.

Members

• James Colliver, Chair
• Dr. Harinder Sandhu
• Dr. Nalin Bhargava

Quality Assurance Committee

The Quality Assurance (QA) Committee is the statutory committee that is charged with the development, administrative review and ongoing evaluation of the College’s QA Program.

This program, which is mandated under the Regulated Health Profession’s Act, 1991, is designed to ensure that the knowledge, skill and judgment of Ontario dentists remains current throughout their careers, and that they continue to provide safe, effective, appropriate and ethical dental care to their patients.

Members

• Dr. Nancy Di Santo, Chair
• Dr. Daniel Haas
• Ram Chopra
• Dr. Nicole Greenwood (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Anita Moosani (Non-Council Committee Member)

Registration Committee

The Registration Committee reviews all applications for registration referred by the Registrar. The Registrar is required to refer an application if he/she has doubts that the applicant meets the legislated requirements, considers imposing terms, conditions, and limitations, or intends to refuse the application.

The Committee reviews applications for registration referred by the Registrar or where there are doubts that the applicant meets the registration requirements due to:

• disciplinary action or breaches of the standard of practice in another jurisdiction;
• physical medical issue, mental health issue, addiction issue;
• illegal practice, i.e. practicing while not holding a certificate of registration issued by a Regulatory Body;
• conviction of a criminal offence;
• does not meet the requirements for registration as recorded in the Regulation;
• guilt related to sexual abuse and/or harassment.

The Committee may register an applicant, refuse to issue a certificate of registration, impose examinations or impose terms, conditions and limitations. These actions are designed to protect the public.

The Committee provides each applicant with an opportunity to make written submissions prior to rendering its decision. In addition, it routinely offers applicants the opportunity to personally attend to make oral representations should he/she wish to do so. The Committee’s decisions are subject to review by the government-appointed Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB).

The Registration Committee is also responsible for setting registration policies, advising College Council on entry to practice and reinstatement requirements and on national issues related to registration.

Members

• Dr. Osama Soliman, Chair
• Dr. Anthony Mair
• Dr. Robyn Somerville
• Cristina Cordeiro
• Eleonora (Eli) Fisher 
• Dr. Mingyang Xie (Non-Council Committee Member)

Professional Liability Program Committee

• James Colliver, Chair
• Dr. Vincent Carere (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Ousama Damlaj (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Gehan Ibrahim (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Irwin Golosky (Non-Council Committee Member)
• Dr. Jennifer Tse (Non-Council Committee Member)

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee oversees the competency-based assessment of Council and committee applicants and makes recommendations to Council regarding Council elections and selections and committee appointments, among other duties.

Members

• Anne Coghlan, Chair
• Dr. Daniel Haas
• Dr. Anthony Mair
• Nizar Ladak
• Judith Welikovitch