Maria van Harten initially trained as a high school science teacher in Canada at the University of Waterloo and Queen’s University; and then pursued undergraduate dental training at Western University in London, Ontario. After several years in private general practice, she completed graduate study at the University of Toronto, and attained her Master of Science and specialty license in Dental Public Health in 2012. Maria served as a Biostatistics lecturer to graduate dental students at Toronto, as Dental Consultant at the local health agency level, and served on the Executive Committee of the Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry. Currently, Maria lectures in dental public health and serves as Dental Curriculum Mapping Project Officer at the Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin Ireland. Maria is pursuing a part-time Trinity College Certificate in Teaching, Learning & Assessment for Academic Practice; and continues to engage with Canadian colleagues as licensed dentist and specialist of the Royal College of Dentists of Ontario, and as a Fellow and Examiner of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada.