WATCH: The Dalhousie University students who wrote offensive and sexually explicit comments on a Facebook page are finding out how what you do and say online can come back to haunt you. Ross Lord explains.
TORONTO – Would you want to know if your dentist had been suspended from university clinical activity for making jokes online about using chloroform to assault women? Ontario and Alberta’s dental licensing agencies do.
In a Dec. 31 letter to Dalhousie University, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario demanded to know the identities of 13 fourth-year dentistry students who were suspended from clinical activity Monday in the wake of a scandal involving Facebook posts that were abusive to women, including their female classmates.
Irwin Fefergrad, registrar with the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, told Global News the college asked for the names as it is a matter of public interest.
“Our responsibility is to protect the public interest. We give licenses for people to practice and we have to make sure they are suitable to practice. Legislation requires us to make the inquiries,” said Fefergrad.
“The conduct of these students was not isolated. It had some magnitude to it,” he said. “It was over a period of time, was sexist, misogynist, abusive, gender violent and I think they need to be held accountable.”
Fefergrad said should the suspended students attempt to practice dentistry in Ontario, the college of surgeons would ask whether the students “are remorseful or have insight” before the selection committee makes a decision on issuing a license.
But Dalhousie said Tuesday it will not release the male students’ names to provincial dental boards.
“The university has an obligation to protect the privacy and confidentiality of our students,” said spokesperson Brian Leadbetter in an emailed statement.
The statement reiterated the president’s prior message that the school is following procedures consistent with both the law and university policy, while respecting the rights of those involved. A confidential restorative justice process chosen by the complainants is also underway (the other option would have been filing a formal complaint).
READ MORE: Will restorative justice work in the Dalhousie Facebook scandal?
But one of four professors who filed a complaint against the university because of what they called “unexplained delays” in processing the complaint says the request from provincial boards highlights a problem that extends beyond the walls of the university.
“We actually don’t know where any of the students might wish to go once they graduate,” said professor and Canada Research Chair in Bioethics and Philosophy Francoise Baylis. “So, the move by Ontario, I think, is helpful in terms of reminding the public that they could in fact be seeking to practice anywhere, not necessarily in the province.
“So, again, that serves our goal of at least reminding people that this is not a local problem or a local issue.”
READ MORE: Faculty behind confidential complaint at Dalhousie come forward
Alberta’s dental association spokesperson Elsie Rose said it expects Dalhousie to take “appropriate measures to investigate this matter fully” and wants to know who the students are if they graduate from the program.
“The Alberta Dental Association and College needs to know the names of the students if and when they graduate,” said Rose in an emailed statement to Global News. “As outlined by the Health Professions Act, all applicants for registration in Alberta must supply evidence of having good character and reputation by submitting any requested materials.”
Nova Scotia’s own body didn’t respond to Global News’ requests for comment Tuesday, but answered questions related to the case on Dec. 19. When asked if it would license men who have admitted to making sexually violent comments towards women, the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia (PDBNS) said such comments are a serious concern, and any information indicating “an applicant might pose a risk to the public in the practice of dentistry would affect the PDB’s licensing decision.”
“The public can be assured that the PDB would take the necessary steps, including the possible retention of experts if necessary, to ensure an applicant is capable of performing dentistry in a safe, ethical and competent manner,” said PDBNS chair Dr. Tom Raddall in the Dec. 19 statement.
Though there are potential legal issues with demanding the university provide names of the men involved without a fair process that determines exactly who posted the abusive comments, Baylis points out that releasing the names to the dental associations wouldn’t necessarily “out” the male students.
“What’s interesting is whether a request, from a college, for that information, which they could in fact receive and handle in a confidential and appropriate manner, could be seen differently than making a public announcement.”
She noted that with the amount of publicity, there are concerns related to due process for the men involved who may be innocent.
“There are some males who are completely innocent and they will be tarnished with this.”
WATCH: Dalhousie professor and Canada Research Chair in Bioethics and Philosophy, Françoise Baylis, says the demand by some provincial boards to know the names of the offending students could be helpful to remind the public that the students in question could practice elsewhere which makes this a national issue.
With files from Global News reporter Ross Lord and Andrew Russell
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