27
Volume2 Issue4
|
I
ssues and
P
eople
1984–85
President,Durham-OntarioDentalSociety
1989–93
OntarioDentalAssociation(ODA)Boardof
GovernorsRepresentative
1993–94
Chair,ODAGovernanceCommittee
1997–98
President,ODA
1999–2003 ExecutiveCouncil,CDA
2005–06
President,CDA
2006
Chair,CDAGovernanceReviewWorkingGroup
2007–present Medical-DentalMissionswithSperoway(formerly
knownasFeedtheChildrenCanada)toGuatema-
la,NicaraguaandElSalvador
2006
Chair,FDIFinanceReferenceCommittee
2007–08
Chair,FDINorthAmericanRegionalOrganization
(NARO)
2010–present GoverningCouncil,FDI
2014–15
Chair,FDIGovernanceTaskTeam
Inall the organizations that I’ve been involved in, I’ve founddedicated, selfless
individualswhowere there for the same reason Iwas—to give of themselves.
Professional
Milestones
At FDI, hisworkhas led tooperational improvements in
theorganization. Dr. Cottrell explains, “When I cameon
toFDI, itwas acritical time—thereweremajor financial
difficulties, a lackof strategic focus anda top-down
approach thatmayhaveworkeddecades agobut just
doesn’tworkanymore inmost areasof theworld.”As a
member of theFDI financecommittee, Dr. Cottrell helped
set FDI onmore stablefinancial footingbychanging
the fundingmodel used for theAnnualWorldDental
Congress tocreateapredictable revenue source, and
diversifingFDI’s revenuebase.
As chair of theFDI governance task team, hewill be
entrenchingnewprocesses intoFDI bylaws and its
constitution. “I’mcontinuallychallengingCouncil by
asking, ‘HowcanwemakeFDI better tomorrow?’ If the
FDI isbetter, our profession isgoing tobebetter.”Over
thenext 5 to10years, heanticipates anexpanded role for
FDI inoral healthpromotionandadvocacy. FDI’sVision
2020project,whichenvisionshowglobal oral health
carewill look in2020, includes lookingat collaborative
practice. “Thewholeconcept of collaborativepractice is
the inter-professional and intra-professional improvement
incooperationaswe start todevelopdifferentmodels to
dealwith theburdenof oral healthdisease—and this is
something thatwill havean impact inCanada.”
Healso sees anopportunity tofind solutions to the
oral healthproblems facingCanadiansby learning from
other countries. For example, aspart of FDI’s 2014World
Oral HealthForum, experts examined thechallengesof
oral healthcare inanageing society. “You start to see
that theseproblems aregoing toescalate in thecoming
decades asour senior population increases.Weare
dealingwith these issues inCanada, but in someareasof
theworld, they’vebeenworkingon solutions formany
years,” saysDr. Cottrell. “So it’s amatter of seeingwhat’s
alreadybeendoneandhow itmight helpus.”
Inhis experienceat all levelsof organizeddentistry,
Dr. Cottrell has found similar challenges: less free time
has created timepressures formembers andvolunteers;
newmembersquestion thevalueof involvement; and
amorediversemembershipbasehas avarietyof needs
that need tobeaddressed.
Yet onepositive factor remains constant: “Inall the
organizations that I’vebeen involved in, I’ve found
dedicated, selfless individualswhowere there for the
same reason Iwas—togiveof themselves.” Itmay
beanoversimplification to traceDr. Cottrell’snotable
achievementsback to the idealsof aboyhoodpledge. But
heacknowledgeshowhis lifehasbeenguidedby living
up to that promise. “I’ve found that truehappiness comes
fromhelpingpeople. I think your actions speak louder
thanwords,” he reflects.
a
TriciaAbe
isCDAwriter/editor.
