Asian Star- Dr Jatinder Sharma

Native Village/Country parent’s background

I was born in Punjab, India. My father was a teacher and mother was a home maker. 

Your Early Education

I started my elementary education in Rajpura (Punjab) and went to Chandigarh for post-secondary education before joining Government Dental College Patiala for obtaining Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree in 1988. 

When & Why You came to Canada

I came to Canada as an immigrant in the spring of 2006, along with my family for better future prospects and in the quest to explore more. The diversity of cultures, new opportunities, and the challenge of adapting to a new environment brought me to Canada and kept me here. 

Your career advancement initiatives and present occupation

As a dentist trained in India, one of the top priorities after coming to Canada, was to get into my field of expertise. There are many challenges involved after moving to a new country, and having to establish your career from scratch. I found myself in that predicament soon after settling in Ontario, with my wife and two daughters. After going through my share of struggle, I had a thorough understanding of the difficulty of my situation. That is when I decided to turn the odds in my favour, and therefore, jumped on to adopt Denturism as my career in Canada. I went for a three year advanced diploma in Denturism program at George Brown College, Toronto. I worked hard and graduated with honours. I then got my license to practice denturism in Ontario. To further explore my career, I started working as an associate denturist in Newfoundland. I worked there for about 2 years before heading to Alberta in 2014. In Alberta, I worked in Red Deer as an associate denturist at a clinic. This is when I realized that it was about time I open my own practice independently, so in the summer of 2016, I opened up my own denture clinic in Millwoods, Edmonton. Soon after that, recently, in July 2019 I, along with my daughter, who is now also a denturist, opened up a second denture clinic in Downtown Edmonton to serve the Edmontonians from two locations.

Your Regret in Life

The life we live is the legacy we leave behind. The beauty of life is that we cannot undo what is done, but the future is yet in our power. We can see our past experience, understand it, and learn from it. So, consider the good days as blessings, bad days as experiences, and worst days as lessons and you will have no reason to regret. 

Pick Any One of Your Best Achievements

I am a strong believer that the road to success has many cracks, each ready to make you stumble and lose hope; but it is your self-determination and perseverance which ultimately becomes the driving force that leads you to success. For me, one of those achievements is establishing my own clinics and being able to successfully run my business after overcoming the obstacles of moving to a new country. I hope to take on all my future endeavors with the same optimism.

Were You Ever Discriminated?

Canada is generally a very diverse country in terms of race, religion and culture. Personally, I am grateful that, for the most part, I have had the privilege of being part of the communities that are far more evolved, and so I have never faced any blatant discrimination, neither overt, nor systemic. 

Are You Happy in Canada

As a Canadian citizen, I can proudly say that everything was worth making the decision of settling in Canada. I am very happy and satisfied with what my life has turned out to be after moving here.

Any Comments on Canada’s Culture

 Canada is often referred to as a cultural mosaic, as it embodies various different races, ethnicities, religions of its citizens. The best part about Canada is that it welcomes immigrants from all over the world, and they are not required to assimilate the Canadian lifestyle. In my opinion, this is what shows the strength of the country.

Any Comments on Canada’s Weather

 I have lived in a bunch of provinces, and experienced various seasons throughout the year in those provinces. Many people believe that Alberta has the coldest winters of all, but personally, I have not seen a drastic difference between Ontario and Alberta. You eventually get used to the weather, regardless of how warm or cold the weather is. Newfoundland in particular, I would say was the “windiest” of all provinces so far. Nevertheless, each part of Canada has its own uniqueness and beauty, regardless of the weather.

What Brought You Success in Canada?

  The key to success is to know what you love to do and having a proactive approach in life. Take those risks, and be willing to think big and step out of your comfort zone.

Are You Willing To Help New Immigrants and How?

Being an immigrant myself, when I see new immigrants, I understand the challenges they are facing. I am always keen on helping newcomers to Canada. From my personal experience, the biggest help one can provide to new immigrants is proper guidance and direction. I try to motivate and persuade them to make better choices in terms of their career, and guide them to better options that I feel they might not be aware of.

Your Message for Canadians of Asian Origin

Canada is a beautiful country that embraces differences and has a diverse population. As an immigrant, always make sure to respect the other cultures and religions and do not forget your own culture. Seize the opportunities, work hard to and make a way for your brighter and better future ahead.