The ACDQ, 60 Years of Advocacy for Dentists
The Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec (ACDQ) has been the voice of dentists since 1966. As it celebrates its 60th anniversary, its mission is just as clear as ever: defend the interests of dentists in all fields of the profession to ensure that they have the best possible conditions for practicing dental medicine.
Each and every day, the ACDQ makes life easier for its 4,300 members by providing services tailored to the needs of dental clinics. It builds on its expertise by engaging in open dialogue with dentists from across Quebec.
In addition to its member services, the ACDQ acts as an advocate for the key issues of the profession. With every year and every advance, it works with dentists and for dentists to help shape their future practice conditions.
Today, as always, the ACDQ is the voice of dentists.
60 years of advancing the profession
The ACDQ’s history is punctuated by pivotal positions, innovative member services, beneficial partnerships and advocacy with various government bodies.
In other words, it is filled with achievements that have played a part in the way dentistry practice has evolved in Quebec.
For its 60th anniversary, the association created a timeline revisiting the key moments of its past. It is the perfect way to see how far it has come in the last six decades.
60 years of leadership serving dentists
At every stage in the history of the ACDQ, leaders worked behind the scenes, investing their time and knowledge to improve dentists’ practice conditions. Since 1966, the presidents of the ACDQ have helped build a strong, influential and forward-thinking association.
Current President Dr. Marie-Claude Desjardins has continued this commitment with conviction and passion since she took on the role in 2024. Through her private practice and her constant interaction with members, she stays closely connected to the realities of the profession. Her leadership is driven by a desire to promote dentists’ true interests.
25 years of celebrating the next generation
For 25 years, the prestigious Prix Micheline-Blain has been awarded to 3 graduating dental medicine students to recognize their defence of their cohort’s interests and their community involvement. The ACDQ presents this award created in honour of Dr. Micheline Blain, ACDQ president from 1997 to 2001, to one student at each faculty of dental medicine in Quebec.
Dr. Blain, the first woman to serve as president of the ACDQ, elevated the profession through her leadership and her commitment to the next generation. She also helped improve dental care thanks to her involvement in the Network for Oral and Bone Health Research (RSBO).
| Recipients of the last ten years | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Université Laval | Université de Montréal | McGill University |
| 2017 | Dr. Philippe-Antoine Baril | Dr. Hafsa Alami Laroussi | Dr. Nicole van der Wal |
| 2018 | Dr. Élyssa-Maude Dionne | Dr. François Proulx | Dr. Ryan Siciliano |
| 2019 | Dr. Isabelle Vignault | Dr. Andréann Guillemette-Beaupré | Dr. Murali Ramamoorthi |
| 2020 | Dr. Marianne Charest | Dr. Marie-Claude Bourgeois | Dr. Natalie Pollock |
| 2021 | Dr. Alexandre Marcouiller | Dr. Maxime Poisson | Dr. John Hyun |
| 2022 | Dr. Marianne Bernard | Dr. Ilyas Dakak | Dr. Andrea Singer |
| 2023 | Dr. Georges Elias | Dr. Georges Kesserwany | Dr. Albert Le |
| 2024 | Dr. Catherine Thivierge | Dr. William Stephan | Dr. Jad El Jabi |
| 2025 | Dr. Ian Moody | Dr. Paul Natchev | Dr. Nicholas Akst |
| 2026 | Dr. Julie-Pierre Simard | Dr. Britanny Ouimet | Dr. Erica Smenderovac |
Keeping dentists informed, then and now
For many years, the ACDQ’s journal The Contact Point served as a reference for Quebec dentists. Although that publication is no longer in production, the desire to communicate with members has never wavered: Since 2020, the ACDQ’s newsletter has continued this mission by providing dentists with useful content to help them in their practice.
Now that the association is turning a new page in its history by celebrating its 60th anniversary, it invites its members to flip through the “50th Anniversary” edition of The Contact Point.
In 2026, sixty years after its creation, the ACDQ is looking toward the future. Inspired by its accomplishments and sustained by the collective strength of its members, it will continue to be the voice of dentists and to promote the profession for generations to come.