Antisemitic cartoons used by U of T dentistry dean lead to him being put on leave pending investigation

The dean of the University of Toronto’s school of dentistry has stepped aside after using two antisemitic cartoons in a student lecture.

A statement issued by Dr. Anil Kishen, who became dean of the school of dentistry on July 1 for a five-year term, said that his use of the cartoons was not intentional.

“Last night I became aware that two cartoon images that I included in a recent lecture contained discriminatory imagery,” he said in an email to the dentistry faculty on Thursday. “I selected these images as visual analogies for two concepts. I was not trying to make any political statements with these images. I say this not as an excuse for this mistake.”

He added: “I condemn antisemitism and discrimination in all their forms.”

In a statement shared with National Post, the university confirmed that Kishen is on leave pending an investigation and that has agreed to fully cooperate.

“The Dean reports that he used these images without appreciating the antisemitic and discriminatory meanings, and their negative impact on Jewish colleagues and students and the broader learning environment,” the statement read.

“He has also committed to exercising greater diligence in reviewing course materials to support an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all, and to improving his understanding and awareness of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.”

In a post on X yesterday, B’nai Brith Canada shared the images and wrote that it is reaching out to the University’s leadership to demand accountability and action, adding: “We will not allow tenure and academic freedom to excuse and justify this egregious abuse of authority.”

Antisemitism and antizionism have permeated into all corners of academia in this country. We are living in a Canada where a senior academic, the dean of a dental faculty, feels emboldened enough to sabotage a lecture on strangulation theory and dental pulp with vitriolic and… pic.twitter.com/JTbMU1L1xf

— B'nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) February 26, 2026

One of the images shows a figure with its face painted in the colours of the Palestinian flag, bound by ropes and an Israeli flag, although the Star of David has been removed from the flag.

The second shows a hook-nosed man relaxing in a swimming pool full of money and labelled with the word “IMMUNITY,” surrounded by several figures who are looking up.

“This latter image is a well-known antisemitic trope that has historically been used to dehumanize Jewish people,” the group Canadian Women Against Antisemitism pointed out.

The second image has been used before in slide decks and websites, including a 2013 presentation titled “Integrating Adaptation in Hazard Mitigation Planning Efforts” on the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) .

Josh Landau, director of government relations for Ontario at the Centre for Israeli and Jewish Affairs, said in a statement to National Post: “For Jewish students already navigating an increasingly hostile campus climate across Canada, this incident reinforces a painful message — that antisemitism and extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric can permeate our university classrooms.”

He added: “Universities must be environments where every student can pursue their education free from hostility and fear. CIJA stands ready to engage constructively with the University to ensure this moment results in meaningful change.”

Canadian Women Against Antisemitism also posted images of the slides to its Instagram page , along with a copy of a letter sent to the university.

“Given the seriousness of this matter, I respectfully request that the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) conduct a full investigation into Dr. Kishen’s conduct and determine whether disciplinary action is warranted,” the letter says in part.

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