Growing up in Camlachie and attending school in the Sarnia area, Dr. Gabriel Ponce was always committed to giving back to his community. Whether it was volunteering with local charities or food drives, he was always an advocate for those in need. Once he realized his dream of becoming a dentist, Dr. Ponce knew that he would return to his hometown to serve his community.

After graduating from St. Christopher’s High School, Dr. Ponce attended the University of Western Ontario, obtaining an Honours Bachelor degree in genetics and biochemistry, with a minor in medical sciences. His aspirations to provide care to those in need impelled him to attend the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in downtown Detroit, Michigan.

His public service as a dentist in Detroit extended into volunteering at a number of events, including: an annual mouth guard clinic to provide free mouth guards to young athletes, an annual oral cancer screening clinic at the Detroit Men’s Health Fair, a free dental service clinic for the homeless and under-served Detroit community through the St. Vincent de Paul Dental Clinic, and an annual “Give Kids a Smile” dental clinic to provide free dental care to under-served children who could not afford basic healthcare. Dr. Ponce was also an active member of his student body, acting as a executive member of his graduating class student council and governing member of the Detroit Mercy Canadian Student Dental Association and the Alliance for Inclusion.

Dr. Ponce excelled as a clinician in all aspects of dentistry, and was one of the top clinical students in his class. Striving for academic excellence, Dr. Ponce attended over 100 hours of training and continuing education courses prior to his graduation to further expand and hone his skills in the dental field. He continues to attend continuing education classes in the fields of cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, implants, and endodontics. Dr. Ponce is an active member of the Canadian Dental Association, the Ontario Dental Association, the Hispanic Dental Association, American Dental Association, the Lambton County Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry, and other training and specialty organizations.