Clive Schneider-Friedman

Clive Schneider-Friedman

Clive Friedman is a paediatric dentist who has devoted his career to improving the lives of children and those with special needs.

He is a graduate of the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) with a Bachelor of Dental Science and received his specialty in Paediatric Dentistry from the Louisiana State University. He has been on the faculty at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry since 1981 and for 20 years also taught the behaviour seminars for the post graduate paediatric students at the University of Toronto.

He is a past president of ADPD, (Academy of Persons with Disability) and iADH, (International Association of Disability and Oral Health) and he currently sits on the editorial board of BSDH (British Society for Disability and Oral Health) and is a member of the education committee for the iADH. Main accomplishments in this arena is the publication of  an undergrad and post grad curriculum for treating persons with special needs as well as more recently the creation of a validated case complexity tool and transitioning document to help dentists work with and transition PLWD (People living with disabilities).

In 2011 he received the Harold Berk Award for exemplary leadership and contributions for the advancement of oral healthcare for persons with disabilities and has also received the Ontario Dental Association award of merit for years of service to the dental profession.

Dr Friedman has published and lectured extensively both nationally and internationally with specific interest in Risk Management, Treatment for the Breast-Feeding Dyad, Early Childhood Caries, Motivational interviewing, Special Needs and Behavior and the Neurobiology of Safe Care.   He completed a leadership training program with “Co-Active^® Leadership Institute” and has been involved in numerous workshops related to oral health, risk management and motivational interviewing.

For the last 5 years he has been involved with creating and teaching local dentists in the establishment of long term sustainable oral health programs, mentoring younger paediatric dentists, volunteering as a clinical Director of Special Olympics, missions in Honduras ,Guatemala, Mexico and Nunavut. He works with a rare patient population, helping to identify pathways to care for them, through an organisation started in South Africa called Tin Soldiers. He is also the secretary treasurer of the 21 International clinical council that facilitates care for people with this rare condition including the creation of the definitive guidelines for care for people with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).

When he isn’t teaching or practicing dentistry he enjoys photography, mountain biking, hiking, travel and spending time with his children and grandchildren.