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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Canada: Dalhousie University in Canada has suspended 13 male fourth-year dental students from clinical activities after they had made degrading, sexually violent comments about female fellow students in a private Facebook group at the end of last year. After the incident became public, it attracted wide attention from the national media and sparked debates about misogyny and sexism throughout the country.
According to various Canadian media sources, the 13 students were members of a Facebook group called "Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen," which had existed since at least 2011. They were suspended on Dec. 22, 2014, after a number of women had complained to the university under its Sexual Harassment Policy and the offensive Facebook postings became public. Many comments included sexual and medical jokes that in some cases referred to female classmates by name.
"The suspension was necessary to ensure a safe and supportive environment for patients and classmates who participate in the clinics. Additionally, it will allow the Faculty of Dentistry Academic Standards Class Committee to consider the matter from the perspective of professional requirements," stated Dr. Thomas Boran, dean of the faculty.
According to Dalhousie University authorities, university policy sets out a number of possible consequences for this behavior, including removal from the program. The university announced that the committee will assess the situation of each student involved and that those who have not complied with the professionalism requirements of the academic program will not be permitted to graduate.
In an interview with CBC Radio One on Jan. 5, Joan L. Rush, a retired lawyer focused on dentistry issues, stated that the problem of sexism starts with the dental schools and leadership of the dental profession, which remains a male bastion. According to Rush, the deans of all ten dental faculties in Canada are men and the board of the Canadian Dental Association, for example, comprises 17 male members and only one female member. Rush has thus called for greater diversity to encourage gender respect throughout the profession.
Dr. Michael Zuk, Canadian dentist and investigative dental journalist, said: "The dean of Dalhousie dental school should be sure the dental students are not treated more harshly for their indiscretions than academics have been in the past for professional misconduct. There is a tendency for the higher ups to cover their mistakes and use their positions of power to police underlings more ruthlessly. My understanding is a number of provinces are already trying to make barriers for the whole group of Facebook members, while I am aware of a number of examples of top dental brass being involved in cover-ups and unsavory behavior that would leave many faces red. If my memory serves me correctly, a former dean of Dalhousie may have a sexual scandal that was buried for decades, possibly by a doctor who was just awarded a medal of honor. We are all human and make mistakes, so the dental profession cannot pretend we are all perfect."
