Board

BCCOHP is governed by a 12-member board made up of six oral health professional members and six public members. 

The Board is responsible for ensuring that the organization’s mandate – regulation of oral health care in the public interest – is carried out effectively and efficiently on behalf of British Columbians.

Public Members

Carl Roy, Board Chair

Position: Public Member

Carl Roy brings more than four decades of experience in the health sector and has worked with multiple regulatory bodies throughout his career. Until retirement in 2020, he was the President and CEO of the Provincial Health Services Authority. He has a strong background in governance and experience in improving board performance and organizational effectiveness. Carl holds a number of health sciences credentials including a Masters of Health Science Administration from the University of Toronto.

Julie Akeroyd

Position: Public Member

Julie Akeroyd is a practising lawyer and member of the Law Society of British Columbia. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific and Asian Studies from the University of Victoria. She is an active member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association. She completed over 10 years of service for the former College of Dental Hygienists of BC, where she served in various capacities including the Inquiry Committee (chair), Governance Committee, and as a government-appointed public member of the board (vice chair).
 

Marion Erickson

Position: Public Member

Marion Erickson is the Research Manager at the Health Arts Research Centre at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in Prince George. Marion has a Master of Education from Thompson Rivers University, she has completed a B.A. in Public Administration and Community Development from UNBC and holds an Applied Business Technology Certificate from College of New Caledonia. Marion Erickson is currently serving on the Doulas for Aboriginal Families Grant Program Advisory Circle. Marion has also worked with the First Nations Health Authority and BC Cancer to release a set of Indigenous cervical cancer screening materials that are intended to bring awareness to the public and health professionals about how intergenerational trauma can impact Indigenous women’s access to health care.

Pat Dooley

Position: Public Member

Pat Dooley has served as CEO/Superintendent of Schools in three school districts, Regional Coordinator for the Ministry of Education, Director of Achievement, and as principal and consultant. She has served several boards, including the College of Dental Technicians of BC, the College of Denturists of BC, the Interior Health Authority, Selkirk College, Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice, BC College of Teachers, and the City of Nelson Municipal Police and Library boards. At the community level, she is a founding member of Nelson and Area Friends of the Family, past-president and member of the Nelson Daybreak Rotary Club and served for eight years with the Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation, including six years as chairperson. After retiring as Superintendent of Schools in 2010, Pat was instrumental in establishing the Rural Education Advisory Group and has led a number of initiatives focused on enhancing education in rural schools and districts.

Rachel Ling

Position: Public Member

Rachel Ling has professional experience in healthcare and adult education. She works as a program advisor for a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) post-secondary institution and is also a TCM practitioner. Active in her community, Rachel is a board member of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners & Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) and board member of the former College of Dental Technicians of British Columbia (CDTBC). She is a board trustee for Richmond Public Library. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University and is a Master’s candidate in Public Policy at Simon Fraser University.

Shirley Ross

Position: Public Member

Shirley Ross currently serves as a member of the Canada-India Maternal Infant Health Project. She is also involved on the Women’s Advisory Committee for the City of Vancouver. Shirley brings experience in communications, education, and advocacy for the B.C. Nurses’ Union. She has acted as community developer and community health nurse for the Vancouver Health Board, Global Health Project Director for Oxfam Canada, and general duty nurse in various acute care hospitals across B.C., Alberta, and Manitoba. Shirley is also experienced in providing contract work, including roles such as Special Projects Coordinator for Canadian University Service Overseas, and researcher for Vancouver World AIDS Day Group and Refugee Immigrant Health Centre. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia and a Nursing Diploma from Red River Community College.

Oral Health Professional Members

Dr. Alexander Hird

Position: Registrant board member (Dentist)

Alex has been involved in the regulation of dentistry in BC since 2007. He served the College of Dental Surgeons of BC (CDSBC) as chair and member of committees, and most recently as a board member, spanning a time of major transformation towards modernizing regulation. Since becoming a general dentist in 2003, he has worked in a variety of oral health care environments including private clinics, hospitals, First Nations, and public health settings. He previously taught at the UBC Faculty of Dentistry for 10 years. In addition to his professional credentials, he holds a graduate degree in health economics, policy, and management.

Amandeep Singh

Position: Registrant board member (Dental Technician)

Amandeep Singh was a practicing dentist in India for 10 years. After immigrating to Canada, he earned his Registered Dental Technician (RDT) License in 2016. He earned his Denturist License (RD) from Ontario in 2021. He holds dual licenses in BC as a Registered Denturist and Registered Dental Technician, practicing as a Denturist in Surrey and working as an instructor at CDI College. Amandeep was elected to the board of the College of Dental Technicians in June 2021. He also served on the college’s Quality Assurance and Registration committees.

Cathy Larson

Position: Certified Dental Assistant board member

Cathy Larson’s dental professional experience spans almost three decades as a practicing certified dental assistant in clinical practice and as an educator in certified dental assisting programs. She was elected to three terms as a Certified Dental Assisting member on the College of Dental Surgeons board. She has also held executive positions as president/chair of the Certified Dental Assistants of BC and the Dental Educators of Canada. Cathy has experience serving on the Quality Assurance and Discipline committees of the College of Dental Surgeons and has also served as a Facilitator/Evaluator for the National Dental Assisting Examination Board. 

Elizabeth (Lise) Cavin

Position: Registrant board member (Dental Hygienist)

Elizabeth (Lise) Cavin immigrated from Mexico in 1983 and has lived in Nanaimo on the unceded traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun and Tla’Amin First Nations for most of that time. Her journey in oral health studies started with four years of dental school in Mexico, and continued in Canada, graduating with a dental hygiene diploma from Vancouver Community College in 1987. After more than 20 years working in private dental practice, Lise returned to her studies to obtain a Bachelor of Dental Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of British Columbia, and a Provincial Instructors Diploma from Vancouver Community College. She taught in the dental hygiene diploma program at Vancouver Island University in areas related to professionalism and ethics, foundations of dental hygiene practice, and oral pathology. Lise holds strong ties to her community and continues to work one day a week in private dental practice, providing care primarily to senior patients. Over the years, she has led oral health workshops for new immigrants at the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society and has volunteered with Special Olympics BC.

Kim Trottier

Position: Registrant board member (Dental Therapist)

Kim Trottier graduated from the National School of Dental Therapy in 2001 and has spent the past eight years working with the First Nations Health Authority. She is grateful to provide services to three Family Territories and ten Nations and cherishes the relationships and teachings she has received on her journey. Beginning in 2020, Kim served the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C. as both a Board Member and on the HR & Remuneration Committee. Prior to her work in BC, she was a dental therapist in Saskatchewan and served on the Saskatchewan Dental Therapist Council.

Michelle Nelson

Position: Registrant board member (Denturist)

Michelle has been providing collaborative dental care throughout mid-Vancouver Island for over twenty years. She has been acting chair of the College of Denturists of British Columbia. During her time at the College, Michelle also chaired the Inquiry committee and participated in many other committees and working groups. Michelle has been an instructor and lecturer for over two decades, traveling and teaching nationally to other oral health care providers. She has served as an examiner for the College of Denturists Provincial Licensing Examination committee and was also involved in an accreditation initiative to improve the standards of education to aid in the delivery of competent and safe care to the public.