Work Life “After I graduated, I was planning to buy a practice, but at the last minute it didn’t work out,” says Dr. Carr. Instead, a Halifax practice hired her as an associate and, over time, she became a partner. Dr. Carr has been at the Atlantic Dental Centre ever since. “I’ve been working with my partners at the practice for more than 30 years now,” she says. “I guess when I like something, I stick with it.” Dr. Carr says that if she ever moved, she’d miss her connection with her patients. “I’ve known some of them since they were children,” she says. “There are a few that I treated as a student and I’m still seeing them and now their grandchildren. We’ve grown together and many ask about my family during appointments.” For six years, Dr. Carr was a clinic instructor and lecturer in removable prosthodontics at Dalhousie. Dr. McCarthy says that whenever her patients moved to Halifax, she’d refer them to Dr. Carr, especially if they had complicated dental needs. “Clinically, Heather is excellent and she’s great at developing a rapport with people,” she says. Dr. Carr enjoys working with patients with special health care needs and has volunteered at events including the Special Olympics Special Smiles. Before she leaves her office, Dr. Carr makes sure to thank each of the staff members she worked with that day. “I really appreciate Atlantic Dental Centre team efforts in caring for our patients and learned the importance of acknowledging the contributions of others from my dad,” she says. Family Life In the time between her undergraduate and dentistry degrees, Dr. Carr married and went on to have two children, Chelsea and Evan. Early in her career, her marriage ended, and Dr. Carr embraced the role of a single mother. “I’ve been raising my children pretty much on my own since they were about age 2 and 4,” she says. “So, it’s been just the three of us for quite a long time. In their younger years, I adjusted my schedule so I could be with them as much as possible. I wanted to create a stable foundation for them.” Dr. Chelsea Carr Kinnear, now a chiropractor in Fall River, says that her mother would work longer shifts so that the next day she could volunteer to accompany a class trip. “She made us a priority and we felt it,” she says. Dr. Carr was a Spark leader, volunteered with organizations her children were involved in and went cycling across P.E.I. with her son’s Scout troop. Heather with her daughter, Chelsea. Dr. Carr volunteering for the Special Smiles program at the Special Olympics. CDA President 2023–24 17 Issue 3 | 2023 |
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