TORONTO — The Alpha Omega dental fraternity is a cradle to grave type of organization.
Sheryl Lipton
“We say Alpha Omega will be there for you. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last,” said Sheryl Lipton, the president of the fraternity’s Toronto chapter. “We’ll be there from the beginning of [our members’ dental] careers to the end.”
The fraternity, which will be honoured March 27 by the University of Toronto’s faculty of dentistry, is an international organization of dentists. It offers support to new dentists and students entering the field, has programs for older professionals and is involved in charity work. This year, through their global oral health initiative, Alpha Omega is participating in building a dental clinic in Nicaragua and is continuing to support its Dental Volunteers for Israel program, which helps operate a dental clinic in Jerusalem.
“People feel we should be not only helping Jewish causes, but also [engaging in] tikkun olam, to repair the world,” said Lipton, who became Toronto chapter last June. “This is part of what Alpha Omega does… We have a strong charitable and philanthropic component.”
This is also part of the reason that Alpha Omega will be honoured by U of T.
The fraternity’s Toronto chapter will be one of three recipients of the university’s Award of Distinction, which celebrates individuals or groups that have made a difference in the field of dentistry. The two other recipients are also Alpha Omega members, and so is David Mock, the dean of the faculty of dentistry at U of T.
While Mock wasn’t involved in the decision to honour Alpha Omega, he has been a member since 1964.
“[Alpha Omega] creates an ethic of what health-care practitioners should be doing. They introduce, even though it’s not limited to Jewish students, a Judaic ethic… of caring, of tikkun olam,” he said. “[The group] provides mentorship with seasoned practitioners. They also provide some ongoing… mentoring.”
Mock commended the organization for its charitable work in Toronto, which includes contributions to dental clinics such as the one at Mount Sinai Hospital, as well as two financial awards given to U of T students, one through the university and one through Alpha Omega.
For Lipton, providing support to dental students is a crucial part of her work at Alpha Omega. As Toronto chapter president, she helped create a new mentorship program that pairs new dentists or students with dental professionals.
“We’re trying to meet the needs of our young graduates,” she said.
Lipton was also involved in creating a program that supports dentists age 50 and older.
“We’re trying to meet everyone’s needs as best we can,” she said.
Lipton has been practising dentistry for 28 years. She was offered the presidency 12 years ago, but declined because her three daughters were too young.
“Alpha Omega means so much to me. It was important to accept the role as president,” she said, adding that she’s been involved with the group since she graduated from U of T in 1982.
The 2010 Awards of Distinction gala will be held March 27 at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel. Cocktails are at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 7 p.m. Tickets, which include dinner, are $250. For tickets, call 416-979-4940, ext. 1, or visit www.utoronto.ca/denstistry/gala.
