Our mission
Affordable urgent dental care, through volunteer dentists, for low-income Torontonians who have nowhere else to turn.
About us
We are a Toronto charity that partners with community dental clinics across the city, where volunteer dentists and hygienists give affordable urgent care to people with nowhere else to turn.
Our vision
A Toronto where everyone has equal access to oral health care and the opportunity to achieve overall well-being.
Our goals
Close gaps in access with timely, affordable urgent treatment, reduce oral health inequities, and connect underserved Torontonians with the care and support they need.
Our 2025 impact
1,849
Emergency Visits
4,623
Hours Volunteered
865
Teeth Restored
450
Emergency Extractions
249
Dental Cleanings
$695,337
Saved Toronto Public Health
Despite the introduction of the Canadian Dental Care Plan, many people still fall through the cracks.
Navigating the complex landscape of public benefits and dental coverage can leave many Torontonians without access to the care they need. We are here to help bridge those gaps and guide individuals toward better oral health.
Our Story
2007
It all started in 2007 with a donated dental chair and a dental assistant in Scarborough, Toronto.
A coalition of community partners had recognized the need to help the growing number of Torontonians who suffer with debilitating tooth pain and infection without having anywhere to turn for dental care due to gaps that exist in the Canadian healthcare system. This joint venture was called Filling the Gap Scarborough.
2017
The program expanded in 2017, relocating to a larger space alongside our partners, the Canadian Centre for Refugee and Immigrant Healthcare, and adding three dental chairs. Volunteer dentists and hygienists provided vital services to patients unable to access care through private or government plans.
2020
In 2020, Filling the Gap Dental Outreach was established as a certified charity and a second clinic was opened in partnership with the Rexdale Hub Community Health Centre in the GTA in order to reach more people in need.
Our Team
Our Board
As a practicing dentist in Toronto, I was surprised to discover that low-income patients often fall between the cracks when it comes to accessing dental care. In 2012, I joined a team of volunteer dentists at a low-cost clinic in Scarborough. Through this experience I was able to see the impact of our dental care on the smiles, confidence, and lives of our patients. It became clear to me that the need for this valuable service extends beyond the Scarborough area. This led to the vision for Filling the Gap Dental Outreach, enabling local access to dental care for low-income Torontonians across the GTA. My motivation stems from my Christian faith and I am excited to see the impact of this service on the lives of those most vulnerable in our city.
As an accountant, currently working at Norton McMullen, I am excited to be able to use my accounting skills to serve on the board of Filling the Gap Dental Outreach. I have always been passionate about helping underprivileged and marginalized individuals whom society has a tendency to neglect or overlook. I am excited to be part of the team at Filling the Gap Dental Outreach because of this organization’s Christ-like approach to caring for the practical needs of those in our community.
Filling the Gap provides much-needed help to those that do not have easy access to vital dental care. I am honoured to be able to contribute my skills and passion to this team to help with the vision that provides this service. I am a project manager and hold a management position at Oliver Wyman Vector, a Marsh McClennen business.
Since graduating as a dentist from Western University in 2006, I have seen how toothaches, broken teeth, and dental infections can severely impact a person’s life; add to that barriers such as not having a regular dentist, financial constraints, taking time off from work to access care and it can leave an individual overwhelmed. My hope is that people of all backgrounds would be able to receive dental care in a timely and effective manner through our work at Filling the Gap. I believe God calls us to love and care for everyone using our gifts and skills, and I am pleased to participate as a volunteer and on the board level to fulfill its mission.
Featured Publications
