President's Message
Dorianne Irwin
CDA II
Dear ODAA Members,
Hi, my name is Dori Irwin, and I am proud and humbled to be your new President. I have been a loyal member of ODAA since I first began my Dental Assisting journey in 1983. I have been involved with ODAA for most of my career and spent many years as an executive with the Burlington Dental Assistants Association.
After I graduated from Seneca College as a Level 1 Certified Dental Assistant, I quickly found a position and excitedly began my career. I have recently retired but worked for many years as a Certified Dental Assistant and Dental Receptionist in general and periodontal practices. As the new Dental Assistants I worked with graduated as Level II trained professionals, I decided to go back to school and pursue my Level II credentials as I felt I was falling behind in my scope of practice. After lots of hard work and studying, I achieved my Level II diploma, and shortly after that, I wrote and passed the NDAEB exam. After working “in the trenches,” I know the highs and lows we all face daily and strive to make your journeys smoother and better appreciated by dentists.
In my retirement, I have been able to achieve a goal that I had for myself: to go to remote areas and help in dental clinics. In March 2024, I was able, through the organization WAHA, to complete a three-week Dental Assisting locum in Moose Factory and Attawapiskat. I am going again in July, and if you are able, I highly recommend doing something like this as well! It’s truly eye-opening!
During my time with Burlington DAA, I was always curious about how things ran at the provincial level, so nine years ago, I applied for a volunteer position on the Board of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association. I was lucky to be chosen for the position representing the regions of Hamilton, Niagara, and Brant. During my time on the Board, I have been grateful to get to know like-minded individuals who are passionate about their Dental Assisting careers and who want to work together to further the profession. I have also witnessed the dedication, commitment, and love of the Dental Assisting profession that my fellow Board members and I share. We are working very hard to support, advance, and improve the profession. We strive to achieve respect, fairness, better wages and working conditions for all members of the ODAA.
As your President, I am committed to ensuring that all Certified Dental Assistants, Certified Dental Receptionists, and Certified Dental Treatment Coordinators receive the respect, attention, and compensation they deserve. I believe that Dental Assisting is a noble and rewarding career choice, and I am dedicated to making sure you feel the same way.
Feel free to contact me anytime with your questions or concerns. I look forward to working for you, the members, during my term as President of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association.
Dori Irwin, CDAII