A legacy of care
From student to instructor to donor, Dr. Christopher Cottick continues to shape the future of dentistry in Manitoba
Dr. Christopher Cottick [DMD/90] recently made a donation to support the construction of the Dr. Gerald and Reesa Niznick Centre on the University of Manitoba’s Bannatyne campus, which will house an updated Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry. He says the gift is partially inspired by his father, who also taught part-time at the dental school for years.
“I still have people in the dental community come up to me and talk about my dad or thank me for what he did. I also want to be someone who has made a connection for our dental students,” he says. “But even without that personal connection, I still would have made a gift. To me it’s just a matter of standing up and helping with whatever, whenever they need.”
As a self-proclaimed homebody, he decided to study dentistry at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, as it is located in his hometown of Winnipeg. He says dental school brought him out of his comfort zone, and he thrived in the camaraderie of the classes and working hard under difficult conditions. While studying, he became a part-time instructor and has continued working part-time in the clinics, eventually taking over the supervision of the postgraduate program.
“I like to think of myself as a person of the institution,” he says. “For more than 30 years, I’ve been teaching at the undergraduate oral surgery clinic every Friday morning, and it’s the best part of my week, helping my colleagues and building connections. I had a lot of good professors, whom I still think about all the time, and I want to be like that.”
The Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry will occupy two floors of the new Centre with a 33,770-square-foot purpose-built space. This space will include the main dental and dental hygiene clinic, forming the largest dental clinic in Manitoba. Designed to meet the needs of the College now and into the future, the new facility will replace the current infrastructure that is over 30 years old and in crucial need of updating.
“I also wanted to support this project because the dental school is a foundation of the community, providing quality dental treatment to underserved populations that is more affordable than private practice,” he says. “In turn, the community is also helping the dental school by getting treatment that takes a bit longer. A lot of people tell me they’ve been coming here for 30 or 40 years because they want to help our students learn.”
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, the College treats more than 3,600 patients – and the numbers are growing.
The Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry is currently ranked 4th in Canada for dentistry and oral sciences and trains 60-80 per cent of the dental hygiene, dental and dental specialist workforce in Manitoba. To continue training oral health care professionals with the necessary skills to service communities now and in the future, it is fundamental to modernize infrastructure, equipment, and programming.
“The dental school is a needed block in the foundation of our province for dentistry, and giving back is the Manitoba way. New dentists are not going to come to Manitoba unless they’re trained here in Manitoba,” says Dr. Cottick. “Think about yourself, how you got to where you are and how you can help others to get to where they are going. Universities like UM don’t just drop out of the sky. We need the support of the community to keep our institutions for Manitobans in Manitoba.”
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The new dental clinic has received an amazing 201 gifts from 131 donors and is well on its way to achieving its $10 million fundraising goal for the new facility. We have seen strong support from the Manitoba Association of Dental Hygienists, the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba and 123Dentists.
What has been particularly special throughout this journey is hearing the personal stories, like Dr. Cottick’s, behind each donor’s gift. Some alumni recall stepping into the clinic as students when it was new to them, and now, in gratitude for those who came before them, they are paying it forward to the next generation. Others have chosen to name operatories in memory or in honour of loved ones, while one donor reflected on the clinic as the place where they “learned to earn.” We have also seen families—parents and children, siblings, entire classes, and lifelong friends—come together to leave a lasting mark on the future of dental education.
The new clinic will create living classrooms that offer healthcare and advocacy to Manitobans in need and help UM continue to graduate highly skilled, compassionate, inclusive, and effective oral health professionals. Visit our website for more information about how you can help support student success and community impact.