The Mirror, December 2018 The Mirror, December 2018 | Page 31

GETTING TO BETTER KNOW THE MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY
DR. GREGORY WESTMAN
CAPD/ACDP Secretary - Treasurer, 2018 to 2020
Why did you choose to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry?
I was fortunate to have a very good clinical experience in Pediatric
Dentistry in my third and fourth years of dental school. I was able to
perform many restorative and surgical procedures, including treating a
young boy with dentinogenesis imperfecta. Compared to the other
dental disciplines, I enjoyed doing pedo and found treating children quite
rewarding.
Boating in Magnetawan
Upon graduation from dental school I did a dental internship at Victoria
Hospital in London. There I had a great introduction to clinical Pediatric
Dentistry. At that time Dr. Gerry Wright and Dr. Clive Friedman treated
children and special needs patients in the hospital. I was privileged to be
mentored by them.
For two years I practiced in the Sioux Lookout Zone under the direction of Dr. Norm Levine and Dr. Keith Titley of the
University of Toronto. I travelled to all but two of the 23 communities (reserves) in the Zone. Usually the duration of
these visits was from one to two weeks. Typically I would see elementary school kids during the day and adults in
the evening. I enjoyed treating the children much more than the adults. From this extensive exposure to the dental
needs of children, I decided to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry.
Where did you do your training?
After obtaining a Bachelor of Science, I enrolled in dental school at the University of Western Ontario. Following
graduation in 1982, I was a dental intern at Victoria and University Hospitals in London, Ontario. From 1986 to 1988
I attend the Pediatric Dentistry program at Indiana University Dental School and James Whitcomb Riley Children’s
Hospital in Indianapolis Indiana. I returned to Ontario three months before my first child was born.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
There are several things I enjoy about my job as a pediatric dentist. Seeing
children change from being fearful and reserved towards dental treatment to
become accepting and happy patients is very rewarding. Treating families
and watching them grow is certainly a benefit of being a pediatric dentist. I’m
at a stage in my career where I’m now treating the children of patients that I
had treated when they were young.
In the dental clinic at Sioux Lookout
Zone Hospital