It began when a woman with visible cavities on her front teeth came in for a consultation but did not schedule treatment. Months later, she returned with her child, who had some dental coverage.
“While she was feeding the child, we asked if she had made her own appointment,” recalled Dr. Raj Khanuja. “And this is what she said: ‘It’s either my kid’s hockey equipment for Christmas … or I fix my teeth. But not both.’”
That moment, he says, planted the seeds of his pro bono initiative, Doing Positive in My Backyard, launched in 2012 to provide free dental care to vulnerable communities—including low-income families, seniors and refugees—in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Khanuja was officially honoured on March 10 as one of 11 recipients of the 2023 Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship for his long-standing initiative.
The Brampton-based Khanuja, who will mark 25 years in practice this July, operates 10 clinics across the GTA. But he still remembers the mother who started it all.
“That was a moment that really touched my heart. I had tears in my eyes and tried to hold them back,” he said. “I thought, ‘Wow. This is a mother just following her instincts.’”
“We didn’t expect people to be lining up before we even opened the office.” Dr. Khanuja.
He treated her at no cost—and she became the first patient of a growing movement.
“That’s how it started—first come, first served—because we had no idea how it would evolve,” he said. “We didn’t expect people to be lining up before we even opened the office.”
“One patient told us they had slept in their car outside all night, just to get a chance at being seen. That really opened our eyes. That’s when we realized—oh my God—there’s a much deeper need than I originally thought. At first, I had only encountered one patient in need. But then we saw how many others were in the same situation.”
What began as a one-day effort—temporarily closing his regular practice to treat up to 30 patients—has since expanded across his clinics.
“As our clinics grew, we started to do Clean Up Care Day at each location,” he said. “Since we added two more clinics this year, there will be 10 participating clinics.”
He estimates the initiative will treat at least 300 patients this year.
Initiative part of the clinic’s culture
The pro bono days, he added, have become “part of our passion and culture” at the clinics.
“You don’t feel right if it’s not done—and everybody keeps asking, ‘When’s the next day coming?’”
While most of the volunteers are associates at his clinics, Khanuja hopes other established dentists will join the effort as well.
“One of my long-term visions is to create a free dental clinic—it’s just a vision for now—that runs on autopilot. Any dentist could come in for a day, and the infrastructure, materials and staff would already be in place. It would be a self-sustaining clinic dedicated to helping people get the dental care they need.”
A story behind the story
Khanuja’s own journey helps explain his dedication to giving back. He left India at 18, arriving alone in the United States with just $200 in his pocket. At one point, he lived in his car for four weeks, showering at the YMCA and surviving on bagels and juice.
“One of the most important things I’ve learned throughout this journey is to never be judgmental,” he said. “If someone needs help and you’re in a position to extend a hand, then do it. There’s a deep sense of gratitude in knowing that maybe you were put in someone’s path for a reason—to help, rather than be the one needing help.”
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After earning a full-tuition scholarship to Hampshire College in Massachusetts, Khanuja immigrated to Canada in 2000. His hard work paid off.
In 2018, he was named one of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners. Today, Khanuja—who meditates for 30 minutes daily before working out—hopes his story will inspire a new generation of dentists.
“There was a day I picked up the handpiece for the first time, and I know there will come a day when I hang it up for the last time,” he said. “But what am I leaving behind? I want to leave a legacy for the next generation of dentists. To me, giving back, transforming lives and restoring dignity—that’s the greatest satisfaction you can achieve in dentistry.”
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