MSU’s Master’s Online Program Has Helped Derek Decloux Sink His Teeth Into Anesthesia Career

Derek Decloux has a passion for his role as a dental anesthesiologist.

Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Decloux attended dental school in Vancouver, British Columbia. During his first year, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces, and after graduating, he was stationed in Toronto, Ontario, serving as a full-time dental officer.

Four years after being released from the military, Decloux pursued his Master of Science in Dental Anesthesia at the University of Toronto, launching a career focused on providing anesthesia for patients who struggle to undergo dental procedures without sedation, such as adults with special needs, children, and those with severe dental anxiety.

“It was an opportunity to help patients receive dental care in a safe and comfortable way,” Decloux said.

As his career progressed, Decloux (pronounced “De-clue”) realized he wanted to deepen his understanding of pharmacology and toxicology and the effects of drugs, anesthetics in particular, on patients. When he discovered Michigan State University’s fully online asynchronous master’s program, he knew it was the perfect fit.

“MSU was the only program I knew of that offered a completely online degree in pharmacology,” he said. “I initially enrolled to study only pharmacology, but as I progressed, I became more fascinated with toxicology as well.”

After five years of balancing his career and family life — his wife Kristyn and sons Remy, 7, and Luc, 5 — Decloux earned his master’s degree in the spring of 2024. His thesis focused on novel reversal agents for anesthetic medications that he uses regularly.

“I was fortunate to complete the program when I did,” said Decloux, who also teaches weekly at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where he mentors dental anesthesia residents working with adults with special needs. Additionally, he continues to serve as a reservist dental officer in the Canadian Army and works at a private practice, Smile Town, in Southern Ontario, specializing in dental anesthesia for pediatric patients.

Decloux credits the MSU online program with broadening his expertise and advancing his career in the dental field — a profession that runs in his family. His grandfather served as a military dental officer during World War II, and his mother studied dental hygiene.

“I was amazed at how often courses I didn’t expect to relate to anesthesia ended up being relevant, and I am able to pass that knowledge on to my residents regularly,” Decloux said. “The program also provided valuable insights into the interactions between the drugs I use and other medications.”

Though he initially enrolled in the MSU program out of curiosity, Decloux acknowledges its profound impact on his professional development.

“It has opened opportunities for me,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now, at the level I’m doing it, without that master’s degree.”