Wendy Simpson

Management and oversight of the Sioux Lookout Dental program that provides quality and culturally safe dental and dental hygiene services across 24 remote First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, including a pediatric dental surgical services in partnership with Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win hospital. The program provides services to an estimated population of 30,000 First Nation clients.

The responsibilities of my role include the following:

Work in collaboration with First Nation leadership to establish dental and dental hygiene service levels for 24 First Nations communities. On an annual basis compare service levels to population growth and make modifications to service plans as needed or in response to requests from First Nations leadership.

As the project authority for three dental service contracts, I am responsible to sign off on Task Authorizations for dental services. I work closely with vendors to ensure quality dental services are rendered in community based on the requirements in the statement of work. As part of the contract management, I review daily records of treatment reports completed by dental contractors, to ensure a full compliment of Non Insured Dental Benefit services are being provided to First Nations communities. Additionally, I review all service invoices from vendors, to ensure billing is in compliance with the dental service contracts, National Joint Council Travel Directives and is supported by receipts. After reviewing invoices, I will complete section 34 in the procurement to pay system (P2P) to approve payment to vendors. As the Manager of the program I am responsible to ensure services are delivered within the contract budgets and closely monitor spending to maximize service contracts without exceeding budgets.

As the project authority, I am responsible to accept feedback or concerns about dental service providers from First Nations, and address concerns with vendors. Depending on the severity of a complaint, I may consult with the contracting authority at Public Services and Procurement Canada for direction on the best approach to address the situation.

On an ongoing basis, I maintain notes on vendor compliance and quality of service delivery to support performance reporting for Public Services and Procurement Canada at the completion of the service contract.

Prior to exercising the last service year of the dental contracts, I will initiate the Request for Proposal process with Public Services and Procurement Canada to establish new dental services contracts before the current contract expires to prevent service disruption.

As a cost center manager for an operating cost center and a dental service delivery cost center, I am responsible to complete monthly fiscal sustainability (FSR) reports to monitor department spending and identify any unfunded pressures to the Director of Operations. Part of my FSR exercise includes reviewing expenditure reports in the System, Applications and Products (SAP) program to ensure there are no financial coding errors, and if errors present, complete a journal voucher (JV) to correct coding errors. Additionally I will review commitment reports for financial coding errors. Finally, I complete a free balance report to ensure I am operating within budget. Prior to initiating section 32 for purchases of dental equipment and supplies, I review my free balance report to confirm funding availability. Management of the cost centers includes, identifying spending priorities, developing annual budgets based on fiscal year funding and mapping out future fiscal year funding needs based on equipment life cycles and occupational health and safety requirements.

As the Manager of the dental program, I am responsible to track locations, service repairs, and life cycles of capital assets in 25 locations with a combined total of over $100 millions dollars. Each year in collaboration with procurement, I must establish a service contract to have dental technicians complete annual testing of dental x-ray equipment and provide annual maintenance of dental equipment to ensure optimal performance and compliance with provincial and regulatory body standards.

In my management role, I am responsible to provide leadership and oversight to 10 employees. Through my 10+ years of managing staff, I have developed a strong understanding of collective agreements, and strive on fostering an environment where staff feel supported and empowered to gain skills and competencies to grow in their careers while ensuring fairness and accountability are applied to each member of my team. I take pride in my abilities to resolve conflicts and find middle ground, resulting in maximizing performance of my team members.

In support of fostering innovation, I am currently phasing in digital radiography into the dental clinics, and I'm overseeing a project that includes the collaboration of multiple internal partners, to implement digital dental record keeping system, with the goal to phase our paper based reporting by end of next fiscal year.

• Assist family members of deceased First Nations with the process of obtaining Ministerial approval of legal Wills, and the process to have Executors/ Administrators appointed to administer estates, while strictly adhering to sections 42 to 50 of the Indian Act on Estate Management.
• Meet one on one with clients to provide information on processes to appoint administrators/ executors, or to assist with completion of paperwork.
• When required, assist reception with overflow clients who require assistance completing applications for a Secured Certificate of Indian Status Cards.
• Upon notification of death, contact First Nations communities and obtain family contact info.
• Verify if the Minister has jurisdiction of the estate by confirming if deceased was on reserve or ordinarily resident.
• Determine legal heirs by researching the Indian Registry System and ensuring compliance with Matrimonial Real Property law.
• Using the Indian Land Registry system, confirm if there is land pending in an estate that will need to be transferred.
• Confirm if estate is testate or intestate, and obtain original copies of Wills and Death Certificates.
• Provide Registration Department a copy of the Death Certificate so the Indian Registry System can be updated.
• Write to heirs and inform them of their options.
• Generate detailed electronic and paper files of every estate. Generate bring forward (BF) dates as needed in the estate file, and follow up with each file once BF has expired.
• Review Applications for Administration and Applications for Will Approval for any errors or omissions and submit for Ministerial Approval.
• Act as a Departmental Administrator for those estates where there is no Executor/ Administrator.
• In the role of a Department Administrator, finalize final taxes of deceased, gather lists of assets, search for bank accounts, post notice to creditors, open an account in TLIMS to hold monetary assets, determine legal heirs, liquidate assets, dispense assets to legal heirs ensuring compliance with policy outlined in estate procedural manual. Complete entire estate administration and close file.
• Mail hard copies of files out to Central Registry for Archiving.
• Relevant Skills: Client Service
• Answer calls from clients and provide information while maintaining professionalism.
• Promptly respond to client’s emails or voicemails.

• Implemented a dental hygiene prevention program through a standing offer of agreement, for First Nations clients residing in the community of Sioux Lookout, including 25 remote, fly in only communities in the Sioux Lookout Zone.
• Regularly monitored department expenditures 30k- 100k per month, and utilized cost saving measures to ensure department remains within operating budget.
• Meticulously tracked and monitored funding of dental hygiene contract to ensure services are adequately provided to each community within the defined budget.
• Reviewed and verified department invoices as a cost centre administrator.
• Oversaw dental service contracts for the First Nations communities within the policies set in place by the procurement department.
• Served as liaison between service providers and community leaders while providing any needed administrative support to First Nations communities.
• Arranged travel and accommodations, and coordinated a complex schedule for flying in service providers to remote northern communities taking in consideration seasonal trends and events of the First Nations.
• Collaborated with senior management, responded and managed emergencies, incidents and issues with independent contractors.
• Anticipated, prevented, and reported any issues to senior management as well as the ability to select the ideal contract worker that will fit in well with the communities.
• Tracked service delivery, and prepared monthly statistical reports and summaries using MS Excel.
• Directed a project to improve data capture and organized it by digitizing data collection.
• Maintained office supplies / inventory, also for the 25 communities within our service umbrella.
• Liaised with Health Directors of First Nations communities to discuss Dental Hygiene services, and report concerns, or issues to management for consideration.
• Supervised a staff of four and worked closely with the Human Resources team to vet applicants for dental positions with the organization.
• Maintained high standards of practice through the development of written exams, interview questions, and charts and scoring criteria. Conducted interviews with potential candidates and executed hiring decisions.
• Created performance criteria and conducted performance reviews of staff, provided additional training and feedback to staff to help elevate service standards.
• Developed schedules for the on-site clinic staff to ensure that operational needs are met on a daily basis.
• Relevant Skills: Financial Management

• Provided first rate Dental Hygienist care to clients in Sioux Lookout Zone First Nations, the Sioux Lookout Zone Dental Clinic, and Pelican Falls First Nation High School.
• Worked cross-functionally with other health care providers, supported the Dental Hygiene Coordinator in program administration, and played a key role in program planning.