Let's Meet Jacob Day

Why did you decide to teach at the Mike Petryk School of Dentistry?

I graduated from the U of A Dental School in the Class of 2013. Incidentally, ours was the first class to move into the new Kaye Clinic for our final year. We had the distinction of being the last year to see patients at the old Dent-Pharm building, where Dr. Senior patiently helped us transition between developing film radiographs in the dark room, into learning the nuances of the incoming digital technologies! 

I had very fond memories of many instructors on the clinic floor during that time of my life. In particular, I was impressed by those instructors who were actively running their own practices and yet still took time to come to the school to provide direction and mentorship for us students. I valued the little tips and tricks of the trade that they shared, and my optimism always rose when they spoke of their own experiences of growing in the profession. I was able to shadow many of their offices, and have kept in contact over the years long after my own graduation. I promised myself during that time that, once my busy years of starting a practice and raising young children was past, I would find my way back to the school to provide that same mentorship that I cherished all those years ago. 

What do you like best about the school?

Given that I was born and raised in Edmonton, it was always my hope to attend University here to stay close to family. As such, I only applied to the U of A for dental school - it was the only option I would consider. Many of my older siblings had graduated from the MD and RN programs here, and I often would join them to study at the libraries on weekends when I was attending Harry Ainlay High School while preparing for my diploma exams. I have always loved the classic brick architecture and greenery on campus. My wife and I even had our wedding reception at the Faculty Club overlooking the beautiful river valley. 

As a student in the dental program, I appreciated the broad scope of training available to us. I also appreciated that we were exposed to many different specialties within our field, who were able to wow us with their incredible expertise, but in a way that lifted our capabilities at the same time. As alumni, we still quote Dr. Lung's memorable lines from surgery lectures, and reminisce about the many incredible support staff who helped us persevere through the highs and lows of our first steps in dentistry. The Northern Rotation program was a huge highlight for me, where we were given a little more slack on the leash to explore our growing abilities and provide treatment in a setting that more closely approximated the "real world" outside of school. The weekend trips to the NWT and Lake Winagami were similarly memorable as I explored more of the country far from my usual stomping grounds. All the while, I remained in awe of our preceptors on rotation who were our cheerleaders and devoted time and energy to see to our continuing growth.