In 2025, dentists across Canada looked to the CDSPI Learning Hub to navigate complex financial, professional, and community-focused decisions. Here are five standout articles to put on your end-of-year reading list.
#1 Pay Up or Else! The Rise of Ransomware
Cybersecurity remains a growing concern for clinics and Pay Up or Else! The Rise of Ransomware provides a timely overview of the threat landscape. The piece explains how ransomware enters systems, why negotiations sometimes occur despite guidance not to engage, and the significant business disruption that can follow an attack. Importantly, it reinforces that ransom payments often represent only a small portion of total costs, making prevention and preparedness essential.
#2 Balancing Debt and Investing: A Guide for Dentists
Balancing Debt and Investing: A Guide for Dentists offers a clear and reassuring look at how to manage debt in a way that supports long-term wellbeing. The article distinguishes between debt that builds future opportunity, like student loans, which continue to support higher lifetime earnings, and mortgages used to acquire appreciating assets, and high-interest consumer debt that can erode financial stability. It also highlights the importance of building a strong credit history and maintaining a balance between paying down debt and investing early to benefit from compound growth.
#3 Handling the Financial Side of "Divorcing Dentistry"
In Handling the Financial Side of “Divorcing” Dentistry the financial realities that accompany the emotional decision to step back from clinical work in the spotlight. The piece emphasizes the importance of planning for changes to cash flow, benefits, debt timelines, and practice value, while encouraging dentists to build financial buffers and explore non-clinical pathways. It also underscores the value of early conversations and professional guidance to ensure any transition is thoughtful and sustainable.
#4 Building a Cash Flow Plan
For dentists considering ownership, Building a Cash Flow Plan outlines how careful planning supports long-term success. The article introduces the “Core Four” pillars: Revenue Sources, Fixed Costs, Variable Costs, and Personal Living Expenses, and explains how planning needs differ when starting a practice versus purchasing one. It highlights common pitfalls, including insufficient working capital and delayed insurance planning.
#5 When Caring Becomes a Calling: Dr. Raj Khanuja
Rounding out the list, When Caring Becomes a Calling: Dr. Raj Khanuja shares the inspiring story of Dr. Raj Khanuja and the creation of National Dental Care Day. The profile highlights how a single act of compassion evolved into a national movement providing essential no-cost care to patients who often fall outside public programs, and how other clinics are joining the effort.
Together, these articles reflect the year’s most meaningful conversations—financial clarity, digital literacy, cybersecurity resilience, ownership readiness, and the profession’s deep commitment to community care.