“It’s such an honour,” said Dr. Bruce Pynn, one of three U of T graduates to receive the “Alumni of Impact” award in 2024.
The U of T Faculty of Dentistry said the recipients demonstrate ambition, expertise and innovation, as well as a patient-centred approach and genuine caring.
Dr. Pynn exemplifies these qualities. He currently serves as the Chief of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, teaches at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and maintains a private practice.
In a tribute to him, the University of Toronto reviewed his many career achievements, saying he had “built a meaningful career in a community where healthcare resources are scarce”. In response, Dr. Pynn said he remained humble.
“I came to Thunder Bay from Toronto 30 years ago for a short stay. I’m glad I chose to stay,” he said.
In an interview with Newswatch, Dr. Pynn recalled his journey into dentistry, after spending years as a researcher in a plastic surgery laboratory before choosing to study dentistry.
He said he originally just wanted to work in Thunder Bay for a year to earn some money, but he decided to settle down here after meeting like-minded oral surgeon Bill Dahos.
Dr. Pynn said that providing treatment for patients who have suffered trauma is one of the most fulfilling parts of his job. “We see up to 10 mandibular fractures a week here, making it one of the busiest oral surgery institutions in the province.
But we only have three oral surgeons to cover an area the size of France,” he said.
He often receives referral requests from remote areas such as Timmins. Even though the task is arduous, he still devotes a lot of time to serving patients, even visiting them in person for consultations and postoperative follow-up.
“That’s the example of following Dr. Dahos. You have to really want to help people. The next place in Ontario that can do major oral surgery is in Toronto, and not everyone is willing to make that trip, so I try my best to visit patients in person and build connections with them.”
In addition to clinical work, Dr. Pynn also has teaching responsibilities, mentoring dental students at Confederation College and regularly traveling to the University of Toronto to supervise oral surgery interns.
Next month, he will travel to Singapore to attend the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons conference, where he will share his three decades of experience practicing medicine in Thunder Bay.