Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 3

while both pursued careers in dentistry. “Only a dentist can really understand what other dentists go through—the work is very gratifying, but also very challenging—so having a partner who understands firsthand is a bonus,” he says. Joanne and Richard raised their children in Stratford, PEI, a suburb of Charlottetown where Joanne had grown up and also where she has her practice. “Joanne did the lion’s share of the cooking and taking care of the household,” he says. “I make jokes about how I shovelled the walkway, coached the kids’ sports teams, built backyard rinks, but she was the glue that kept everything together. Three kids. Three dogs. Two dental careers. She’s been my inspiration.” During his early years of dental practice, he encountered situations where people didn’t have the means to afford or access to good oral health care. Dr. Allen had provided care in community homes for people with cognitive disabilities. In the early 1990s, Richard became involved in this area in addition to his general practice. “I’d go into the care homes to do assessments, then I’d provide hospital care to those who needed it,” he says. “Many of the patients were not able to go to a dental office. After a while, I became the dentist that would get the call when that kind of care was needed.” Richard has had operatory privileges at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown since 1992 to provide dental treatments under general anesthesia. After working for 32 years as a clinician, Richard feels fortunate to be part of many of his patients’ lives as they’ve grown older. “People I’ve known for a long time now have dementia or have moved to long-term care homes,” he says. “And I’ve seen how their oral health can go downhill fast.” He believes there is an opportunity for the profession to find ways to better meet the oral health needs of older adults and people with special needs. Getting Involved Drs. Barrett and Connolly, two of Richard’s colleagues who shared the office building, were actively involved in organized dentistry. “Dentistry in PEI is a very tight-knit community, so everyone has to play a role and everyone has to step up,” Richard says. “My first decade of practice, I was dedicated to continuing education, so the first organization I got deeply involved with was the Atlantic Provinces section of the AGD.” He was treasurer of the organization between 1992 and 1998. “Then I got more involved in the provincial dental association, negotiations for contracts and signing up for different committees,” he says. In 2000–01, Richard served as president of the DAPEI. Richard and Joanne enjoying some leisure time with their children, Lauren, Charlee and Jordan. My life has been enriched by the friendships and mentorships that I’ve found through study groups and organized dentistry. Building Community and Giving Back Both Richard and Joanne joined the Abegweit Dental Study Club in 1989. The study club is going strong 32 years later. “My life has been enriched by the friendships and mentorships that I’ve found through study groups and organized dentistry,” Richard says. “The mutual support and learning that happens when we are around other dentists is almost like therapy.” He knows that he’s been fortunate to work with an exceptional dental team at his practice. “I’ve worked side by side with the same people for decades,” he says. “They all go above and beyond to make sure our patients get the best care, every single day. Unfortunately, we often don’t say that enough to our co‑workers, but they are an extremely vital component in the patient experience.”