Episode 78: 3,000 Jobs, No Graduates: Career Colleges and Canada's Dental Crisis with Cheryl Russell-Julien & Tara Fitzpatrick
Canada is in the middle of a dental assisting crisis — and most people have no idea. In this special Dental Assistants Recognition Week edition of the EdUp Canada podcast, host Michael Sangster sits down with two of the sector's most respected voices: Cheryl Russell-Julien, Director of Academics and Quality Assurance at a regulated career college and a leader within NACC member institutions, and Tara Fitzpatrick, CEO of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association (ODAA).
Together, they unpack what it actually takes to become a dental assistant through a career college, why over 3,000 dental assistant positions sit vacant in Ontario alone, and why recent changes to federal and provincial training grant funding could make things dramatically worse. You'll hear real stories from the chair — from a dentist in Cornwall who couldn't open his office for three days because his assistant was sick, to students who walked out of career college programs feeling genuinely prepared, career-ready, and connected to a profession for life.
If you've ever wondered whether a short, focused training program can truly launch a meaningful career — or what happens when healthcare workforce pipelines start to crack — this episode is your answer.
5 reasons to listen:
The workforce numbers are alarming — and close to home. Over 3,000 dental assistant positions are currently unfilled in Ontario, and two-thirds of dental offices need at least one assistant to operate. This episode breaks down exactly what's driving that shortage and what's at stake for oral health access across Canada.
You'll hear what the real standards are — and why they matter. Cheryl Russell-Julien walks through the rigorous approval, accreditation, and inspection process that career college dental programs must pass before a single student sets foot in a clinic. It's a compelling case for why program quality and funding go hand in hand.
Career college graduates are driving this profession. The majority of dental assistants in Ontario graduate from career colleges. Tara Fitzpatrick explains why the ODAA has built formal partnerships with career college networks — and what makes career-college-trained graduates stand out when they walk into a dental office.
The funding changes in Ottawa and Queen's Park have real consequences for real patients. Cheryl and Tara connect the dots between cuts to training grants, an increase in untrained dental 'helpers,' and the growing risk to public safety — including a national dental care plan that can't be delivered without the assistants to support it.
This episode shows what a career — not just a job — actually looks like. Tara worked chairside for 13 years, still counts former patients as close friends, and now leads a provincial association. Cheryl wanted to be a mechanic and ended up building a 45-year career that grew from every skill dental assisting taught her. Their stories are a masterclass in what skills-based training can unlock.