We're shining the spotlight on Dr. Bill Toews, Principal Dentist at Beaufort Family Dental in Comox, British Columbia. Dr. Toews tells us about his passion for mentoring, the fundamental value of patient care, and the importance of education and lifelong learning.
Please share a brief summary of your professional experience in the industry.
In the four decades that I've been a dentist, I’ve built and renovated five dental practices in our town. I'm incredibly passionate about mentorship, having had the opportunity to mentor and partner with several dentists as well as coaching and training our practice team members. I'm always trying to empower those around me and help them to become better operators. Having said that, I still love diagnostics, treatment planning, and performing restorative work.
What excites you about being on the dentalcorp Partner Advisory Council?
I've been a part of the council for two years, and what excites me most is the opportunity to share my experience and the perspectives of those whom I represent. I am fortunate to have met many people in Dentistry. I am privileged to advocate for other Partners and be their voice. It's also an opportunity to speak for the Associates, clinical team members, and our support staff. Without our support team, we're not evolving, not providing a service, and, most importantly, not helping our patients.
How does the PAC impact patient care in Canada?
We provide insight, expertise, and clinical guidance to dentalcorp, which has a direct impact on patient care across the industry. With its commitment to education across its network and beyond, dentalcorp is making continuing education more accessible to dentists and their teams across the country. Our PAC focuses on innovation opportunities and the accountability we share in dentistry — in other words – ways to help the entire profession, not just ourselves. I'm proud of how that works.
What do you feel is the board's greatest accomplishment to date?
The development of safe systems and protocols created during COVID-19 shutdowns, and the support provided to teams across Canada was impressive. Practices were encouraged to share and disseminate as much information as possible to the community, including clinics outside the dentalcorp network. Another important accomplishment of the council is the quality of education and training. Through successful collaboration, we have helped dentalcorp develop three leading-edge programs that I'm very proud of: the Ortho Acceleration Program, the Dental Hygiene Excellence Program, and most recently, our Implant Placement Program.
How has organized dentistry positively impacted our industry in Canada?
Organized dentistry promotes and provides education and continual learning, elevating the clinical skills of dental professionals without adding financial worry. The fundamental value is about providing the best patient care and outcomes. If you can empower dentists with training, education, experience, and support, it's the best-case scenario for our patients.
What do you do in your spare time?
We have a lovely greenbelt around us, so my form of relaxation is walking the paths and trails in our area. My wife, Barb and I have a wonderful dog, Morgan, with whom we walk often. She's a very gentle-spirited therapy dog. We're also fortunate enough to live on a marina and have a boat, so we spend much time exploring the harbours and bays of Vancouver Island. To keep our heads straight, we regularly attend yoga classes, volunteer, and share within our community.
