Dr. Anil Kishen has resigned as dean of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry after a university investigation found antisemitic images in lecture slides he used, the university announced Thursday, as JNS reported. He will keep his tenured faculty position and return to full duties in the 2027-28 academic year.
The resignation follows an incident that began with two cartoons shown in dental lectures and leaves open questions about how the faculty moves forward under interim leadership. Acting Dean Laura Tam remains in the post while the university searches for a successor.
Here is what is confirmed, what each side of the dispute has said, and what remains unresolved.
What the university’s investigation found
Trevor Young, the university's vice president and provost, laid out the findings in a letter to the faculty community, which Honest Reporting Canada shared.
Young wrote that Kishen “had limited knowledge about antisemitic imagery and tropes associated with Jewish people when he included the images in his lecture materials.”
One cartoon showed a figure with an exaggerated, beak-like nose sitting in a bathtub filled with money. It appeared during a lecture on the human immune system. The other showed a figure painted in Palestinian flag colors being strangled with a rope while wrapped in an Israeli flag. That image accompanied an explanation of how inflammation restricts blood flow in dental tissue.
What Kishen says, and what the faculty split over
Kishen addressed the images directly when they came to light. “I selected these images as visual analogies for two concepts,” he said at the time. “I was not trying to make any political statements with these images.”
Engage in antisemitism, face the consequences. pic.twitter.com/SikPhQmg1f
The university's review also documented the effect inside the faculty. Young's letter described "deep divisions" among faculty members over the incident.
According to the letter, Kishen has undergone training about antisemitism and, in Young’s words, has shared that he learned a great deal and is committed to continuing his cultural education.
In Plain English: What This Means for Students and Patients
- The dean who led Toronto’s dental school resigned over lecture images the university itself judged antisemitic — but he stays on as a tenured professor.
- Students’ coursework continues under Acting Dean Laura Tam.
- The case turns on intent versus impact: the university found no intent to promote antisemitism, yet still found the imagery antisemitic.
The timeline, from administrative leave to 2027-28
Kishen has been on administrative leave since February. The university announced his resignation on Thursday. He is expected to return to his full faculty duties in the 2027-28 academic year.
| Milestone | Timing | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative leave begins | February | Confirmed |
| Resignation as dean announced | Thursday | Confirmed |
| Antisemitism training completed | Per university letter | Confirmed |
| Return to full faculty duties | 2027-28 academic year | Expected |
| Permanent successor named | Not yet announced | Open |
Permanent dean search has no announced timeline
The university has not named a timeline for appointing a permanent dean. Acting Dean Laura Tam holds the position while the search proceeds, and no candidate or process has been announced.
