The Nova Scotia Dental Association offers great ways for students to meet other dental professionals in fun and educational experiences. Each fall the NSDA hosts "Welcome to the Profession" — a fun-filled evening where students can talk to practising dentists about working in the "real world."

The NSDA AGM is another great opportunity for students to learn about their profession outside the classroom. The AGM includes continuing education sessions, a formal business meeting, great dining and a bi-annual industry trade show. Dental students and newly practising dentists have the chance to start forming bonds with sale reps and financial planners, and to get to know the business side of dentistry. The NSDA AGM is hosted all over the province, in either of the first two weekends in June.

Dental students can access the NSDA’s online member community by contacting the NSDA office. The online member community is an opportunity to connect with fellow members on topics related to the practice of dentistry.

The NSDA and Dalhousie Dental School partnered in 2013 to present the first of its kind mentorship program in Nova Scotia.

The program hosts annual events to allow for group discussion and exposure to perspectives outside the classroom. These events often include practice management panels, speed dating style Q & A and breakout group discussion.

Mentorship information and registration typically starts during the "Welcome to the Profession" event in September, running officially until the end of the winter semester in April.

The Nova Scotia Dentist is the official NSDA membership magazine and is produced six times a year. The magazine includes stories from around the province, updates and trends within dentistry, profiles and features of NSDA or NSDA member initiatives, helpful practice management articles, and updates from the local dental school at Dalhousie University. The magazine is distributed to all NSDA members, including students at the Dalhousie Dental School, and all dentists in Atlantic Canada.

The magazine is a great way to stay current on all things dentistry and what's happening in organized dentistry at the NSDA, Dalhousie Dental School and coordinated projects like mentorship and events.

When you graduate and begin practising in Nova Scotia, the NSDA provides many resources to help your practice run as efficiently as possible, while providing the best care possible to your patients. These range from the Membership Directory to help you coordinate and communicate with your colleagues and peers, to more complex and influential documents such as the Suggested Fee Guide, Infection Prevention & Control Guidelines, PHIA/PIPEDA or any number of our training manuals, guidelines and suggestions to improve or help you run your practice more efficiently.

Our website is continually updated with new tools to support you in your practice. We offer and promote continuing education opportunities provided by the NSDA or through the link to the BCDA portal. If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, let us know and we will be happy to help.

Students can gain access to these resources by contacting the NSDA office.

As a student, or recent graduate, a useful tool is the NSDA online Job Bank, where you can view listings, respond to job/position openings and, as a member, create a post.

As a dentist, keeping informed is very important. The NSDA is the public voice for dentistry in Nova Scotia. As your professional association, we advocate on behalf of the profession and promote oral health awareness and public education.

As a benefit of NSDA membership you have exclusive access to financial health and wellness support through CDSPI, your not-for-profit organization created by dentists for dentists offering:

1. Canadian Dental Students protection for their financial future with the CDSPI No-Cost, No-Catch Undergraduate Student Insurance plan¹ and get coverage for your:

• Dental Instruments, in case of fire, damage, or theft – $15,000
• Future Income with $1,000/month of Long Term Disability and $100,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Life with $100,000 of Life Insurance

2  Get 24/7 confidential help for any work, health or life concern by phone, web, or mobile app through the Members’ Assistance Program (MAP) sponsored by CDSPI and provided by Lifeworks.

3  Book a Meeting with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional at CDSPI Advisory Services Inc. at no cost and get help with debt and credit management, cash flow and investing.

Footnotes: ¹No-cost coverage ends on December 31st of your graduation year. Coverage is available only to eligible full-time dental students who are enrolled at an accredited Canadian university at the time of application. Coverage in the Undergraduate Package starts on the date on which your properly completed application to enroll is received by CDSPI. Precise details, terms, conditions and exclusions are set out in the insurance contracts for these plans.

Life, AD&D and DisabilityGuard™ Insurance are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife), PO Box 670, Stn Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2J 4B8.

TripleGuard™ Insurance is underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. (Canadian Branch).