Dr. Norma W. Chou
Orthodontist
Dr. Chou is a third generation dentist in her family (an “inbred strain,” as she jokes). Her grandfather, mother and two uncles were dentists, and one of those uncles was an orthodontist. From the age of 8, she worked part-time in her mother’s office, thus developing her interest in her future career.
Dr. Chou was born in Toronto, but moved to Windsor, Ontario, as a young child. She received her pre-university education in Windsor and then attended the University of Toronto. Upon graduation from the Faculty of Dentistry in 1974, she returned to Windsor to associate in general practice for a year with her mother, Dr. Willa Liu.
Dr. Chou then went to the University of Chicago for a 2-year residency in orthodontics at the Wyler Children’s Hospital. She studied under the world-reknowned orthodontist and author, Dr. Tom Graber, and earned a Master of Science degree. Upon graduation, she resumed her practice in Windsor, commuting weekly to Toronto to teach undergraduate orthodontics at the university for eight years and to practise part-time at the office of a friend. In 1986, she opened her own office in downtown Toronto, but continued to commute to Windsor regularly for another ten years.
Along with Dr. Chou, our skilled staff includes receptionist Katherine and dental assistant Sharon. Katherine is fluent in Cantonese and speaks some Mandarin, and has been part of the practice since our early Bathurst Street days. Sharon is a dentist from the Philippines and speaks Tagalog.
Instructor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry
In the fall of 2023, Dr. Chou answered the call of one of her colleagues for instructors in undergraduate Orthodontics at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry. This is the students’ first exposure to orthodontics in their second year of dental school. Dr. Chou has been an instructor for two semesters now in 2024 and 2025. It seems like she has come full circle since she started teaching right after graduation from Chicago (although it was third year at the time).
Dr. Chou and her husband reside in the Bay-College area. They enjoy walking and riding the subway all over downtown. Dr. Chou is very happy about the location of her office so she can again walk to work as she did for so many years in the Annex. Dr. Chou is an avid photographer, world traveler and stamp collector, and she actively supports the arts (theatres and T.S.O.).
Toronto Star Readers' Choice Platinum award winner three years in a row – 2018, 2019, and 2020