Dr. John O’Keefe held the position of Editor-in-Chief with the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) between 1997 and 2010. In this role he was responsible for the content of the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association and the Association’s website. Each vehicle is published in both English and French. In 2011 he became Director, Knowledge Networks: responsible for the development of the JCDA as a clinical decision support system for the dental office. He also plays an ambassadorial role for the CDA.
He graduated as a dentist from the University of Dublin, Ireland, in 1980, and obtained a research-based M.Dent.Sc. degree from the same university in 1990. From 1991-1993, Dr. O’Keefe participated in a professional MBA program in Montreal, which provided general management training. He obtained a certificate from the National Dental Examining Board of Canada in 1995. He has taught at both the University of Toronto and the McGill University dental schools.
Dr. O’Keefe is licensed to practice dentistry in Ontario and has recently provided care on a part-time basis to people with limited access to dental care. Many of his writing and oral presentations relate to: the future of the dental profession; the changing regulatory climate for Canadian dentistry; the importance of knowledge translation to the dentist/patient relationship; developing new professional association publication strategies, and the role of professional journals in preventing questionable professional practice.
He has been chair of the communications committee of the FDI World Dental Federation and also president of the American Association of Dental Editors. He is currently a member of the board of AboutFace, an advocacy group for persons touched by facial difference.
He has Honorary Fellowships with the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, the Academy of Dentistry International, the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the OKU Dental Honor Society, and the Finnish Dental Society.