Meet Dr. J. Eric Selnes

Dr. Selnes graduated as the Gold Medalist in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Physical and Health Education program from Queen’s University in 1988. He completed a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council-sponsored fellowship in biomechanics from Queen’s University, for which he received a Master of Science in 1990.

Not having had enough of academia, Dr. Selnes went on to complete his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Toronto, where he graduated Omicron Kappa Upsilon in 1994. He spent a year as a dental resident at the Hospital for Sick Children before completing his residency specialty training in orthodontics at the University of Toronto in 1997. He remained affiliated with the Orthodontic and Craniofacial Department at the Hospital for Sick Children while completing his research.

Dr. Selnes has continued to teach and lecture as one of the clinical orthodontic staff (associate in dentistry) in the Graduate Department Adult Orthodontic Clinic at the University of Toronto for the last 18 years. He has been responsible for the training of both undergraduate dental students and graduate orthodontic students with particular interests in biomechanics, implants, and adult orthodontics. He lectures and gives a number of continuing education courses to practicing dentists and various regional societies.

Dr. Selnes has been awarded a Fellowship in the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, as well as Fellowships in the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Academy of Dentistry International, the International College of Dentists, and the American College of Dentists.

Dr. Selnes has served on the faculty council for the University of Toronto and was one of the founding board members of the U of T Orthodontic Alumni Association. He is also actively involved as past president of the Ontario Association of Orthodontists, past president of the Halton-Peel Dental Association, and past president of the Toronto Orthodontic Study Club; and he has completed two six-year terms as a councilor for the Ontario Dental Association. He is also an ODA and CDA Award of Merit recipient.

Presently, he is an active board member of the Canadian and Ontario Associations of Orthodontists. He also holds membership in the American Association of Orthodontists, the Ontario Dental Association, the Halton-Peel Dental Association, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Canada, the American Lingual Orthodontics Association, the World Federation of Orthodontists, the Toronto Orthodontic Study Club, the Invisalign Study Club and the American Cleft-Lip and Palate Association. Dr. Selnes actively participates in hundreds of hours of continuing education courses in orthodontics and dentistry every year.

He also serves as the treasurer on the board of Oakville Galleries, one of Canada’s preeminent contemporary art museums.

Some previous awards include the Canadian Foundation for the Advancement of Orthodontics Research Award (for graduate research in orthodontics), Toronto Academy of Dentistry Prize, J.G. Bourassa Cup (for most outstanding student over four years on the basis of academic proficiency and extracurricular activities), S.A. MacGregor Award (for most outstanding student on the basis of extracurricular activities, leadership qualities, and scholastic attainment), 3M Clinical Award, Dr. Alan K. Joe Family Scholarship in Orthodontics (for academic excellence, aptitude, and initiative in orthodontics), S.A. MacGregor and Academy of Dentistry Prizes (for most outstanding student in clinical pediatric dentistry), American Academy of Periodontology Award of Excellence, and the Robert E. Echlin Memorial Award (for providing dentistry to underserviced areas and underprivileged people).

Dr. Selnes receiving the Manley Badner Memorial Teaching Award at U of T Graduate Orthodontic Clinic by the 3rd year Graduating Residents: Dr. Ko-Adams, Dr. Bottner, Dr. Ng and Dr. Chow. Thank you so much for this honour!!!

Dr. Selnes is very happily married to his lovely wife Helene. They have a son, Christian, and a daughter, Noelle. They avidly enjoy golf, motorcycles, skiing, traveling, painting, photography, cooking, and the arts.