Dr. Dent, currently professor emeritus in the Department of Pediatrics, graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1960. He trained in Pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children and Birmingham (UK) Children's Hospital and then went on to do a research fellowship under Dr. Robert A. Good in immunology and rheumatology at the University of Minnesota specializing in cancer immunology. Supported by a research career award from the Leukemia Society of America, he joined the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University in 1968 where he established the division of rheumatology and immunology.

Dr. Dent was the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics from 1980 to 1990 during which time he founded what is now known as the McMaster Children's Hospital. He also spearheaded the development of the local Ronald McDonald House. In recognition of these achievements, he was inducted into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction in 2008.

Dr. Dent served as Vice President (Medicine) for Chedoke McMaster Hospitals as well as Director of Research for Hamilton Health Sciences from 1990–1997. In 2002, he became Associate Vice President (Clinical Services) for the Faculty of Health Sciences. In the past he has served as chair of the section of Pediatric Rheumatology of the American College of Rheumatology and on the sub-board of Rheumatology of the American Board of Pediatrics. In 2004 he received the James T. Cassidy Award for excellence in teaching and patient care in pediatric rheumatology from the American Academy of Pediatrics and in the same year he became a Master of the American College of Rheumatology.

Dr. Dent's continuing activities include the care of children with rheumatologic and immune deficiency diseases, medical education and administration. He continues his involvement in clinical research in pediatric rheumatology.