A local retired dentist has been recognized by his alma mater for his contributions to the Collingwood community.
Dr. Farel Anderson is one of three recipients of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry Alumni of Influence Award in 2021 announced on April 28, which recognizes the institution’s diverse alumni and the exceptional ways in which they serve patients and their communities.
“I don’t really influence too many people, but I guess it’s a nice word to use for an award,” said Anderson, with a laugh. “Dentistry was my first love. To me, it’s a very noble profession. It allowed me to be deeply involved with the community, too.”
Anderson moved to Canada from Jamaica in 1955. He attended the University of Guelph and the University of Toronto, before graduating in 1966. He came to Collingwood that same year as a former classmate asked him to take over his dental practice for three months. After the three months was up, Anderson decided to stay and set up a life.
“I knew I didn’t just want to practise dentistry. I wanted to be part of the community,” said Anderson.
Over the years, Anderson has contributed to the community in various capacities. He served as a Collingwood town councillor for two terms in the 1970s, and served on the police services board. He also volunteered his time to do an in-school public health campaign called Brush-a-mania, touring various Collingwood schools to teach them about the importance of dental health.
He was also a recipient of the Order of Collingwood in 2009 and the Companion to the Order of Collingwood in 2019.
Throughout his career, Anderson made it a point to never turn away a patient.
“I’ve always been very open to patients. It didn’t matter how poor they were. I never didn’t do what needed to be done because they didn’t have the money,” he said.
While working as a dentist, he had a standing vacation booked for the first two weeks in August.
Although the vacation was typically a working one.
“I would be in Jamaica, working in a dental clinic for the poor,” he said. “I did that for 20 years. I knew what the poverty situation was like in Jamaica, having lived there for the first 23 years of my life. (I wanted) to help others.”
“My parents were always that way too. They were always helping others. I think I may have got that from my early years in life,” he said.
Anderson retired from his Collingwood dentistry practice in 2015.
These days, Anderson still contributes some of his time to community causes. For the past 25 years, he has been on the board for E3 Community Services Inc.
When he received word of the award back in March, Anderson said he felt humbled.
“I felt as if I have done something in my life that could be regarded as helping society,” said Anderson. “I have lived my life in a way that it could be said that I have contributed. It’s nice to know somebody else has seen this too.”
