Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry

A transformational change to health education is underway at the University of Manitoba. As the university looks to the future, with a plan to train more highly skilled healthcare professionals, it has broken ground on the new state-of the-art Dr. Gerald and Reesa Niznick Centre in the heart of its Bannatyne campus. 

Rendering of the new Dr. Gerald and Reesa Niznick Centre

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Your support will help UM create the dental learning and training spaces that our students need.

  • Ranked 4th in Canada for dentistry and oral sciences, UM is now positioned to climb even higher, empowering dentistry and dental hygiene students to enhance public health through education, disease prevention and therapeutic care.

    The Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry will occupy two floors of the new Centre with a 333,770-square-foot purpose-built space. This space will include the main dental and dental hygiene clinic, forming the largest dental clinic in Manitoba, consisting of 56 operatories, and five specialty clinics with 29 operatories, housing the graduate specialty programs. Designed to meet the needs of the College now and into the future, this opportunity comes at a critical time. It replaces current infrastructure that is over 30 years old and in crucial need of updating for accreditation standards.  

    The new facilities will allow state of the art training and delivery of care to underserved populations who make up most of the clients/patients at the College. 

  • Rendering of new clinic space.

Innovative Clinic Features:

  • Chairside intraoral scanning for faster and more accurate fabrication of dental prostheses (for example, crowns and bridges). With conventional molds, it can take up to 10 days to produce a crown. With intraoral scanning and computer-aided design, a crown can be produced in less than an hour. 
  • Treatment planning, design, and digital lab to mill and print casts and restorations.  
  • Robust IT infrastructure to support new equipment and improve the clinic’s readiness to adopt additional emerging technologies. Housing an on-site office for a digital technician and IT specialist. 
  • Integration of all graduate programs on one floor enhancing undergraduate/graduate student collaboration and interdisciplinary care among all graduate programs.  
  • State of the art photography lab supporting facial scanning software for orthodontics, prosthodontics and oral maxillofacial surgery. 
  • Over 85 new operatories designed for patient comfort and improved access. 
  • High-end sterilization equipment and modernized HVAC systems for optimal air exchanges and infection control. 
  • Fully accessible and sensitive to the needs of people living with cognitive and physical disabilities. This includes supports for people to transfer from a wheelchair to a dental chair; sensory-adapted spaces to support neurodiverse patients.  
  • Capacity to provide various types of sedation from nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to IV deep sedation to assist patients with dental phobias and extreme anxiety. 
  • Four Oral and Maxillofacial Oral surgery suites with negative air pressure, nitrous, and IV capacity and a recovery room. Oral pathology teaching lab with microscope and multimedia.

A growing need

Rendering of reception area of new dental clinic.

The demand for oral healthcare services is on the rise, driven by factors such as an aging population, increasing awareness of the importance of oral health, and the link between oral health and overall well-being. Every year, we treat more than 3,600 patients – and our numbers are growing. There exists a gap between the growing demand for services and the availability of qualified oral healthcare professionals to meet this need. This gap is particularly pronounced in underserved communities, where access to oral healthcare services is limited. 

The Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry trains 60-80 per cent of the dental hygiene, dental and dental specialist workforce in Manitoba. To continue training our oral health care professionals with the necessary skills to service communities now and in the future, it is fundamental that we modernize our infrastructure, equipment, and programming – positioning the University of Manitoba for even greater levels of excellence, student success and community impact. 

Invest in the future of dentistry in Manitoba

The work of dental experts extends beyond the dental chair, and the delivery of oral healthcare services has become increasingly patient-centred and personalized. Dental hygienists, dentists, and dental specialists play an essential role in monitoring and supporting the overall health of their patients. 

With your support, UM can continue to graduate highly skilled, compassionate, inclusive, and effective oral health professionals. Thank you for your consideration.

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Contact us

Brooke Karlaftis
Donor Relations
Unit 100-137 Innovation Drive
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 6B6 Canada

brooke.karlaftis@umanitoba.ca
204-474-7835

Charitable registration number: 11926-0669-RR0001