Instruction Guide for Council Candidate Application Form

This guide will help you complete the Council Candidate Application Form.

The process to become a candidate in the Council election includes completing the following as part of this online application:

• Part A: Application and Eligibility Questions;
• Part B: Declaration for Council Candidates;
• Part C: Council Skills Matrix Questionnaire.

It also includes completing competency-based questions:

• Part D: Committee Skills Matrix Questionnaire;
• Part E: Chair Skills Matrix Questionnaire (voluntary);
• Part F: Diversity Self-Identification Questionnaire (voluntary); and
• Part G: Uploading your curriculum vitae; writing a brief written candidate statement of interest setting out why you wish to run, your qualifications and relevant experience; and uploading a voluntary headshot.

The Eligibility requirements for election are set out in article 7.2.4 of By-law #7.

The application will take between 45-60 minutes to complete. If you leave the application and return to it later on the same device using the same IP address, your progress will be saved. The due date is Friday, September 20, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.  All information provided must be complete and accurate as of that date, which is the eligibility date. If you have any additional questions after reading this guide, please email College staff at elections@rcdso.org.

Dentists who wish to stand as a candidate for election must first have their competency to serve as a Council member determined by the Governance Committee. This is eligibility criterion in the by-laws and is required for all new candidates who have not previously been assessed by the former Eligibility Review Committee.

The Governance Committee may review the application and any supporting materials, and candidates will participate in a brief virtual interview with the Governance Committee as part of the competency-based selection process. The Governance Committee will communicate its decision in writing to applicants on or before October 25, 2024. Click here to view the list of competencies to be an effective member of Council.

If you were approved by the ERC as a candidate in either of the last two election cycles, your competencies do not have to be reviewed again at this time as they have not changed; however, you must still complete Parts A, B, C (Skills Matrix Questionnaire only), D, and G. Parts E and F are voluntary. 

If you become a Council member, the information contained in the application may also be considered by the Governance Committee to help inform committee and/or chair appointments in January.

Question instructions and background

(Read in conjunction with corresponding online application form questions)

1. No instructions needed. 
2. No instructions needed.
3. Electoral districts are defined in Appendix 28.3 of the By-Laws. If you practise in more than one electoral district, you may choose which electoral district you wish to stand for election. If you do not practise, you may run for election in the district where you live. 
4. No instructions needed.
5. No instructions needed.

Part A: Application and Eligibility Questions

Answer these questions with information that is accurate as of the eligibility date, which is September 20, 2024.  Certain responses to the questions may mean you are not eligible. You will be advised of this once your application is reviewed by College staff.

For other responses, we may need to contact you for more information and eligibility may need to be determined by a College committee.

6. No instructions needed.
7. No instructions needed.
8. The online module Orientation Training: Council/Non-Council Committee Positions is an eligibility requirement that must be completed by all dentists who wish to serve on Council. While the course must be completed by September 20, 2024 at 4:00 pm, you are strongly encouraged to complete the module before beginning to complete the online Application Form. The Orientation Training includes information about eligibility, duties/expectations and the mandate of the Council and Committees, which will help you complete the Form. As the course is new, ALL applicants must complete it, including current Council members and those who previously completed the old course. The course takes about 45 minutes to complete and will be helpful to ensure your goals align with the established duties, obligations and expectations of Council/Committee members.
9. A dentist who has not met all of the requirements relating to the College quality assurance program is not eligible for election to the College Council. This includes any mandatory continuing education requirements and, if the dentist has been selected to complete it, the successful completion of the Practice Enhancement Tool (PET). If you are unsure if you have met all of the requirements, please contact the quality assurance department at CE@rcdso.org for CE enquiries and/or PET@rcdso.org for PET enquiries.
10.  You are not eligible for election to the College Council if you are in default of fees or owe money to the College or have not completed and returned any forms required by the Regulation. 
11. See above. 
12. You are not eligible for election to the College Council if you are the subject of an interim order. An interim order is made by a panel of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee, imposing terms, conditions, limitations or restrictions on a dentist’s ability to practise or suspending the ability to practise pending the outcome of a matter, including the investigation of a complaint or a report or a discipline or fitness to practise matter where there is a likely risk of harm or injury to patients.
13. A dentist whose certificate of registration is subject to a term, condition or limitation, other than one applicable to all dentists holding that class of certificate, is not eligible for election to the College Council.
14. A dentist who has a notation on the Register of an Undertaking resulting from a matter before the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee or Discipline Committee or a notation of a finding of negligence by a court is not eligible for election to the College Council, unless the dentist has made an application to the Governance Committee on or before September 20, 2024 and the Governance Committee has deemed the person to be eligible based on the criteria set out in sections 7.2.5-7.2.8 of the by-laws.  If the former ERC has previously considered this issue and deemed you eligible, you need not apply again.
15. A dentist who is subject to an undertaking in relation to a fitness to practice matter (whether or not listed on the Register) is not eligible for election to the College Council, unless the dentist has made an application to the Governance Committee by September 20, 2024 and the Governance Committee has deemed the person to be eligible based on the criteria set out in sections 7.2.5-7.2.8 of the by-laws. If the former ERC has previously considered this issue and deemed you eligible, you will not be assessed by the Governance Committee again.
16. A dentist who has been ordered to receive a caution and/or been required to complete a Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP) by a panel of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee on or after October 1, 2015 is not eligible for election to the College Council, unless the dentist has made an application to the Governance Committee on or before September 20, 2024 and the Governance Committee has deemed the person to be eligible based on the criteria set out in sections 7.2.5-7.2.8 of the by-laws. If the ERC has previously considered this issue and deemed you eligible, you will not be assessed by the Governance Committee again.
17. A dentist who has been ordered to receive a caution or complete remedial training in the area of professional boundaries is not eligible for election to the College Council, and cannot be deemed eligible by the Governance Committee.
18. A dentist who is currently the subject of a Registrar’s investigation and/or the subject of an incapacity inquiry is not eligible for election to the College Council.
19. A dentist who is currently the subject of a disciplinary or incapacity proceeding is not eligible for election to the College Council. 
20. A dentist who has been the subject of an Order of a Discipline Committee, is not eligible for election to the College Council, unless the dentist has made an application to the Governance Committee on or before September 20, 2024 and the Governance Committee has deemed the person to be eligible based on the criteria set out in sections 7.2.5-7.2.8 of the by-laws. This applies to all Orders of a Discipline Committee in any jurisdiction, related to dentistry or any other profession, whether or not the decision was published. If the decision is not a decision of the RCDSO, please email elections@rcdso.org with details of the finding and penalty. If the ERC has previously considered this issue and deemed you eligible, you will not need to be assessed by the Governance Committee again.
21. A dentist who has been the subject of an Order of the Fitness to Practise Committee is eligible for election to the College Council once all aspects of the Order have been complied with. This applies to all Orders of a Fitness to Practise (incapacity) Committee in any jurisdiction related to dentistry or any other profession, whether or not the decision was published. If the decision is not a decision of the RCDSO, please email elections@rcdso.org with the details.
22. A dentist who is currently facing charges under the Criminal Code (Canada) or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is not eligible for election to the College Council. 
23. A dentist who has a finding of guilt under the Criminal Code (Canada) or Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is not eligible for election to the College Council, unless the dentist has made an application to the Governance Committee on or before September 20, 2024 and the Governance Committee has deemed the person to be eligible based on the criteria set out in sections 7.2.5-7.2.8 of the by-laws. If the ERC has previously considered this issue and deemed you eligible, you will not be assessed by the Governance Committee again.
24. A dentist who has ever been disqualified from sitting on Council as a result of a breach of the Code of Conduct for Council Members or the Conflict of Interest By-law is not eligible for election to the College Council.
25. A dentist who is currently a party to a legal proceeding against the College (such as a lawsuit or application) is not eligible for election to the College Council. 
26. A dentist is eligible to stand for election only if a period of at least three years has elapsed since serving as a dental consultant to a third party benefits provider.
27. A dentist is only eligible to stand for election if a period of at least three years has elapsed since serving in such a role in any organization, association or group whose mandate in any way conflicts with the College’s mandate to regulate dentists in the public interest. Please describe the particulars. Include the terms of reference of the organization and any other particulars about the specific role/position served. College staff may follow up for more information. Please note that this information may be reviewed by a College Committee to determine your eligibility.
28. No instructions.
29. A dentist who has been elected to the Council in four consecutive elections is not eligible for election until an election is held which is more than five calendar years after the dentist was last elected. For example, a dentist who was first elected to the Council in December 2014 and then was subsequently elected in 2016, 2018 and 2020, is not eligible to stand for election again until December 2026. A by-election shall be counted for the purposes of determining eligibility under this provision. If the number of consecutive terms served or the date of the last election is not known, email the College at elections@rcdso.org.
30. You are eligible to stand for election if a period of at least six years has elapsed since you were last employed by the College as a salaried employee. If the date of last employment with the College is not known, contact elections@rcdso.org or the College’s human resources department. A dentist in a casual role such as a paid monitoring officer, facility inspector, mentor or expert is not considered an employee for the purposes of this provision, unless they receive a regular salary from the College.

Part B: Declaration for Council Candidates

31. The declaration is an eligibility requirement and must be completed by all candidates along with the other sections of the application by September 20, 2024 at 4:00 pm. You must check all boxes for this question to be considered complete and to be able to proceed to the next page of the application.
32. The acknowledgment and agreement shall remain in effect until your term as a Council member expires. This agreement and your obligations with respect to confidentiality continue indefinitely.

Part C: Council Skills Matrix

33. All candidates are required to self-assess their ability and experience against the competencies listed. The list of competencies to be an effective member of Council can be found here. This information will be used to inform the Governance Committee’s competency-based assessment, identify gaps with respect to the full Council complement, as well as opportunities for training and development of Council members. Ensure you select a single answer for each row in order for the question to be considered complete.
34. All candidates are required to answer these technical skills questions to ensure that they have the technical specifications to fully participate in meetings and perform the functions of a Council/committee member.

35.- 40. New Council candidates are required to answer a series of competency-based questions. Incumbent Council members and those previously approved as candidates by the former Eligibility Review Committee are not required to answer them.

Part D: Committee Skills Matrix

41. All candidates must complete these questions and indicate their preferences for committees on which they wish to serve. Candidates are able to rank as many as five they are interested in. While preferences will be considered, they may not be granted as the College has adopted a competency-based assessment process and endeavors to improve diversity and equity on committees. Committee competencies are here. You can also find more information on time commitments for Council members and descriptions of College committees. This questionnaire will be reviewed by the Governance Committee, who is responsible for recommending a slate of appointments of Committee members to Council for approval, which takes place in January. All applicants must complete the competency-based questions, including those currently serving on Council and/or committees.
42. No instructions needed.
43. No instructions needed.
44. Please self-assess your ability and experience against the committee competencies listed. Ensure you click a single response for each row for the question to be considered complete.
45. No instructions needed.
46. No instructions needed.
47. No instructions needed

Part E: Chair Skills Matrix Questionnaire

50. Self-assess your ability and experience against the Chair competencies listed. Ensure you select a single answer for each row in order for the question to be considered complete.
51. No instructions needed.

Part F: RCDSO Council and Committee Diversity Self-Identification Questionnaire (Voluntary)

For more information, please review the Frequently Asked Questions.

Your information will be stored securely and kept private and confidential. Your personal information shall not be accessible by anyone beyond the Governance Committee and authorized College staff. Committee members and staff are bound by confidentiality provisions set out in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, including those set out in section 36 and section 40 of that Act. The College will comply with legal obligations for privacy and confidentiality, and would limit any disclosures to aggregate data that is de-identified. For more information please see the College’s Privacy Policy.

Part G: Curriculum Vitae and Written Statement of Interest

67. Candidates are required to upload a current curriculum vitae (maximum 5 pages in length) as one of the following file types: PDF or .doc (Word). The maximum file size is 16MB.
68. Council members are responsible for making decisions have a fiduciary duty to the College, to provide oversight of the College’s affairs and govern Ontario’s dentistry profession in the public interest. We would like to learn more about why you wish to serve on Council and your commitment to public protection
    
    Please use the space below to provide a statement that gives voters information about your relevant knowledge, skills, experience, diversity attributes, professional achievements and contributions that demonstrate the Core Competencies for Council Members.
    
    Ensure that words chosen align with the College’s vision of fostering a culture on Council that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion.
    
    Refrain from referencing:

• • representation of dentists;
  • promoting or advocating for the dentistry profession;
  • making promises that could be viewed as conflicting with the College’s public protection mandate; or
  • committing to changing RCDSO regulations, bylaws, or practice standards.

If you are deemed eligible to run, and provided it meets the Campaign Materials Guidance for Candidates Seeking Election to Council, this candidate statement will be posted on the College’s website, will be distributed to registrants, and will appear on or be linked to the ballot. The statement cannot exceed 300 words.

Candidate statements and headshots are subject to possible review by the Governance Committee.

Please upload a headshot that follows the following guidelines:

• The photo should portray you and no other people
• Use a solid and neutral background without busy or distracting patterns and prints that detract from the focus of the image (you)
• Ensure adequate lighting to avoid shadows
• Pose with a confident, friendly and welcoming disposition
• Consider wardrobe options that reflect your professionalism and personality

If you are deemed eligible to run, and provided they meet the Campaign Materials Guidance for Candidates Seeking Election to Council, your candidate statement and headshot will be posted on the College’s website, will be distributed to registrants, and will be linked with the candidate statement to the ballot.

70. No instructions needed.
71. Confirm that the information you provided in the application form is complete and accurate as of the eligibility date, which is September 20, 2024.

Thank you for your interest in serving on the Council of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. The Governance Committee will communicate its decision in writing to applicants on or before October 25, 2024 and the Registrar will communicate with you at that time about the slate of candidates in your district.