St George Dental ★9.7

The clinic that runs on the university calendar

St George Dental sits directly across from the main entrance to the University of Toronto’s St George campus, and the practice is organized around the people who study and teach there. Student union dental plans are routine work at the front desk — undergraduate and part-time, PEY, the Scarborough and Mississauga campuses, separate graduate plans — and students from Toronto Metropolitan, George Brown, OCAD and York are handled the same way. The clinic participates in the Canadian Dental Care Plan and keeps room for same-day emergencies.

Treatments offered

General care starts with a comprehensive exam: check-up radiographs, inspection for decay, cracks and chipped teeth, gum disease and oral cancer screening, then hygiene work on plaque and tartar. Restorations are tooth-coloured composite matched to the surrounding enamel. Root canals, extractions and wisdom tooth removal are done in-house. Cosmetic side: whitening, porcelain veneers, implants, and two routes to straighter teeth — Invisalign aligners and Six Month Smiles clear braces, the second for adults who want the front teeth corrected rather than a full orthodontic case. Nitrous oxide is there for patients who tense up in the chair, inhaled through a nose piece, awake throughout.

The dentists

Six dentists share the practice. Dr. David Cheng (University of Toronto, 2005; residency at New York-Presbyterian) has a special interest in orthodontics and works as an Invisalign Diamond provider; he and Dr. Stephanie Chan carry the aligner caseload. Dr. Edmund Lee (University of Toronto, 2005) takes oral surgery, impacted wisdom teeth in particular. Dr. Rosemarie Phen (New York University, 2009) and Dr. Doowon Joo (Western, 2018) cover general care. Dr. Dao Le (University of Montreal, 2015) sees patients in French and Vietnamese, Dr. Peter Fengujun Li (Western, 2015) in Mandarin.

Who it suits

Students and faculty who want a dentist within walking distance of a lecture hall and their plan sorted out at the desk. Adults weighing aligners who would rather go to a high-volume provider. Anyone with a toothache, a lost filling or a swollen jaw who needs to be seen today.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a student to book? No. The clinic serves the whole downtown neighbourhood; student plans are simply handled here every day.

Will you see a dental emergency? Yes: toothache, fractured teeth, lost fillings, dislodged crowns, wisdom tooth pain, facial swelling, infection — same day where possible.

Afraid of the drill? Ask for nitrous oxide when you book, and tell the dentist at the start of the appointment.

Invisalign or Six Month Smiles? Six Month Smiles targets the look of the front teeth in adults without significant bite problems, Invisalign covers broader movement. Candidacy is settled at the consultation.

Opening hours