With women now representing more than 50% of Canada’s recent dental graduates, the expansion of Women in DSO® into Canada couldn’t have come at a better time. At the forefront of this movement are Education Committee Co-Chairs Joseé Desjardins and Sanaz Nestorov, who are championing the next generation of women leaders through dynamic programming— including the launch of Canadian Exchange Circle panels.
Desjardins reflects, “Within a year, we were diving into webinars with people we didn’t really know. I’ve done this kind of thing before with boards of trade or think tanks, but this felt different—it was more natural. I was outside my comfort zone, but I was loving it.”
Nestorov shares that the impact has gone far beyond professional development. “I echo everything Joseé said. From an educational perspective, this experience has been intangible—but incredibly powerful. One of the biggest takeaways for me has been seeing how women can truly help each other stand taller.”
That peer-to-peer learning and support is central to the mission.
“Being exposed to a diverse group of women has been incredibly valuable,” says Desjardins. “The conversations are richer, more open. There’s a strong spirit of women lifting one another, especially in a space designed for vulnerability and growth.”
In May 2025, Women in DSO hosted its first-ever DSO Summit in Canada, a milestone event that brought together professionals from across the country.
“There were people from large, competing DSOs who didn’t even realize they needed to learn from one another—until they were in the same room,” Nestorov recalls. “We’re creating space for meaningful engagement and building an ecosystem of mentorship that the corporate dental space in Canada has been missing.”
The expansion of Women in DSO into Canada is more than a geographic move—it’s a strategic investment in the future of the industry, one powerful woman at a time.
