White Coat Ceremony marks important milestone for College of Dentistry students

The ceremony will recognize 35 students in the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) Class of 2029 and 10 students in the International Dental Degree Program (IDDP) Class of 2028.

The 2026 White Coat Ceremony will be held Friday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. in Convocation Hall on the USask campus and will also be livestreamed for family, friends and members of the college community who are unable to attend in person.

The White Coat Ceremony and recitation of the Code of Professional Conduct oath represent an important milestone in the education and professional lives of dental students.

The ceremony marks the point at which students begin taking on greater clinical responsibilities and make one of the most significant transitions in their education, moving from the laboratory to the clinic and from working with mannequins to caring for patients.

For Dr. Walter Siqueira (DDS, MBA, PhD, FCAHS), dean of the College of Dentistry, receiving the white coat represents much more than progression through a dental education.

“The white coat is a visible symbol of the trust that patients will place in our students as they begin this next stage of their education,” Siqueira said. “With that trust comes a tremendous responsibility. Our students are committing themselves not only to developing their clinical skills, but to providing compassionate, ethical and patient-centred care throughout their careers.”

As part of the ceremony, students will recite the Code of Professional Conduct oath, publicly affirming their commitment to the ethical and professional responsibilities that accompany the privilege of caring for patients.

Dr. Amrinderbir Singh (DDS, MPH), interim associate dean academic at the College of Dentistry, said the transition to patient care is a defining moment in a student's dental education.

"Our students have worked incredibly hard to reach this important milestone, developing the knowledge, skills, and professional values that will guide them throughout their careers,” said Singh. “As they enter the clinical phase of their education, they move beyond the simulated learning environment and begin caring for people who place their trust in them. In doing so, they also come to appreciate the important role oral health professionals play in supporting the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.”

Each student will be gifted a crested white lab coat provided by the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

Singh adds, “The presentation of the coats symbolizes the students’ entry into the clinical phase of their education and serves as a reminder of the professionalism, integrity and compassion expected of them when interacting with patients, colleagues and the broader community.”

For the 45 students being cloaked, the ceremony represents both an accomplishment and the beginning of a new chapter, one in which the skills they have developed in the classroom and laboratory will increasingly be put into practice through patient care.

The 2026 College of Dentistry White Coat Ceremony will take place Friday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. in Convocation Hall and will be livestreamed at White Coat Ceremony - College of Dentistry | University of Saskatchewan