FERGUS – Dr. Raj Khanuja has added another accomplishment to his long list of awards and accolades.
Among them are the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award in 2018, the Canadian Business Excellence Award for Private Business in 2016, the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for volunteerism and a Canada 150 Medallion for community service.
And now he has received his Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry after years of classes and hands-on learning.
“It makes you well trained in all disciplines of dentistry,” Khanuja said in an interview at Castlemore Dental in Fergus.
“You become good at everything. It’s a proud moment to get it.”
The Academy of General Dentistry is a professional association for general dentists that’s headquartered in the U.S.
It provides resources, support, advocacy and education to its members.
To become a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, a dentist must complete at least 1,100 hours of approved continuing education as an academy member.
The first step is to pass the Fellowship exam, which Khanuja did in 2010.
He then moved on to the Mastership courses and 400 hours of hands-on learning.
He officially received the milestone award at a convocation ceremony in Minneapolis on July 20 and can now count himself among just two per cent of dentists in North America who have achieved the distinction.
“Mastership is not the end of learning,” he said, adding technology and inventions mean he has to keep up to date and on his toes.
“I am always a student,” he said.
Khanuja moved from India to the U.S. in 1990 to study dentistry and when he graduated, he moved to Canada.
He practiced in northern Ontario for four years and then settled in Brampton.
His practice has grown to eight locations, including the one in Fergus, and every year he offers free dental clinics at each.
Khanuja said he had a “challenging time” when he first entered the U.S., living in his car with just $200 in his pocket.
“My mother taught me about giving back to the community,” he said. “It’s always been a part of me.
“And I know that life can put you in positions that are not favourable. Dentistry is a skill that God has given me so I’m using that skill to give back.”
He recalled a mother bringing her child to an appointment at his practice in Orangeville some years ago.
The mother needed some dental work too, but decided she’d rather get her child a Christmas gift that year instead.
Khanuja said he was moved by her sacrifice and her financial position.
“She was the first person at my free dental clinic,” Khanuja said, adding he’s been offering free clinics since 2012.
This year he ran eight clinics with a value of approximately $110,000 and he intends to continue them.
“My staff, everybody looks forward to these days,” he said. “Smiles are priceless.”
Khanuja has also signed on to the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which will pay a portion of the cost for a wide range of oral health services for people who qualify for the program.
Currently those over age 65, under age 18 or adults with a valid disability tax credit qualify for the program.
Many dentists have been reluctant to sign on until there is more clarity about the program, but Khanuja is all for it.
“It’s high time,” he said. “We are seeing patients. It will probably take years to streamline the program. It’s still evolving.”
It’s an evolution he called “progressive.”
Dental health can impact overall health, he said, and he doesn’t think cost should keep people from seeking tooth care.
“You need your teeth to eat, and you need to eat to live,” he said simply.
“I’m excited this program is here.”
