Reefa McDoom, RDH

Philips Heart to Hands Award Application Letter

Nominee: Reefa McDoom

To the Selection Committee,

It is with great pride and admiration that I nominate Ms. Reefa Mcdoom for the Philips Heart to Hands Award. Reefa exemplifies the spirit of this award through her outstanding dental hygiene skills, tireless volunteerism, and remarkable humanitarian contributions.

I first met Reefa in preparation for a volunteer outreach mission in Uganda in 2014. Her dedication was immediately apparent as she took her responsibilities seriously, providing compassionate dental care to villagers in the southern Kabale region of Uganda as part of a larger medical-dental team. Her commitment to learning and service led her to participate in an implant course at my education centre, where she quickly mastered advanced hygiene and implant techniques.  This course was given shortly after the return from Uganda.

Recognizing her potential, I recommended Reefa for the nine-month advanced restorative hygiene program at Geroge Brown College that included maintenance, occlusal adjustment, and implant impressions. Despite the program’s closed registration, she was accepted after an interview and excelled in her studies, continuing to work as a hygienist throughout.

Several years later, I invited Reefa to join my multidisciplinary/specialty practice as our restorative registered dental hygienist. She embraced her new role with enthusiasm, providing both hygiene and restorative services, including implant maintenance and adjustments. Her technical proficiency is matched by her genuine care for patients.  She has since taken on the responsibility for teaching this implant course to the RRDH class.

Reefa’s humanitarian spirit shines through her ongoing involvement with the Build Your Smile Dental Foundation (www.bysdf.org). She has traveled to Uganda multiple times, taking on leadership roles within the foundation. Locally, she provides free dental services to patients who cannot afford treatment, and her selfless work is deeply appreciated by those she serves.  She has helped develop contacts with multiple social agencies who refer patient to the foundation and these patients are seen by Reefa and others.

Her commitment to professional growth is evident—Reefa has lectured at major dental conferences in Toronto and internationally, sharing expertise on topics such as cannabis, oral hygiene, dental hygiene methods, and emerging technologies. She actively pursues continuing education, attending meetings in other cities and participating in hands-on programs to further enhance her skills.

Within our practice, she is a valued mentor and life coach, supporting staff both professionally and personally. Reefa’s volunteerism extends beyond clinical care.  She even came up with the concept and helped organize our very first Foundations donor golf event, raising essential funds, and contributes to additional programming to support the foundation’s mission.

Perhaps the most telling testament to Reefa’s impact is the feedback from patients. Time and again, they express that they have never experienced care as attentive and compassionate as what Reefa provides—what we affectionately call “the Reefa effect.”

In closing, I wholeheartedly believe that Reefa McDoom embodies the values and vision of the Philips Heart to Hands Award. Her unwavering dedication, compassion, and leadership have made a profound difference in the lives of her patients, colleagues, and the broader community. I am confident that she will continue to inspire others and advance the standards of care in our profession.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,Izchak Barzilay