CDA Essentials 2019 • Volume 6 • Issue 5

15 Issue 5 | 2019 | CDA at W ork Dr. Paul Kavanagh made many outstanding contributions both as a periodontist and a clinical instructor at McGill University, the Université de Montréal and at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. His most passionate achievement is the founding of Operation Veteran ( warmuseum.ca/ov ) . Inspired by the plight of a veteran in distress who could not afford a meal, Dr. Kavanagh led fundraising efforts to establish a program that provides veterans with complimentary meals at the Canadian War Museum. His impact has also reached school-aged children in over 1,400 schools, who learn about the sacrifices of our veterans though a program that Operation Veteran helped to finance ( warmuseum.ca/supplyline ) . I began Operation Veteran in 2009 when I witnessed aWorldWar II veteran at the Canadian War Museumwho was unable to pay for a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee. This was wrong in somany ways and so I reached out to students across Canada from coast to coast asking for donations. We have now served over 16,000 complimentary hot meals and I’m so grateful to all those students for helpingme. I’d like to thank CDA for this prestigious award, and I pledge to always honour our veterans and the men and women who proudly wear our country’s uniform.”  Award of Merit The Award of Merit recognizes an individual who has served in an outstanding capacity in the governing or service of CDA over a sustained period of time, or who has made similar outstanding contributions to the dental profession, the dental community or the oral health of Canadians and/or society at large. Dr. Ian Doyle has contributed to the profession throughout his career, from chairing the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia to serving as past-president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association and the International College of Dentists for Canada. Committed to providing oral health care for vulnerable populations, his volunteer work has helped people in Central America and men undergoing addiction treatment at a local facility. After 40 years of dental practice, Dr. Doyle’s quiet and inclusive style of leadership continues to have a positive impact on his patients, colleagues and community. I am truly humbled and feel honoured today. Being involved in dental organizations over my career has been both fulfilling and eye-opening for me. I wish to acknowledge the reason that I’ve been able tomake organized dentistry amajor part of my life—and that is my life partner, my wife of almost 40 years andmy best friend, Anne. I would like to paraphrase part of the poem that I read in a Rotary article: ‘It is not themedals worn in pride. It’s the feeling you have deep inside.’” Dr. Frank Hechter has a long history of serving his profession and community. Passionate about supporting professional and post-secondary education, Dr. Hechter has volunteered on many dental faculty committees at the University of Manitoba and on committees of the Manitoba Dental Association. With a special interest in oral health care for Indigenous populations, he has contributed his expertise to the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program of Health Canada and is an advocate of interprofessional programs that support First Nations communities. It is truly an honour and privilege to be the recipient of a CDA Award of Merit. I share this award withmy classmates, professors, friends and family, without whose encouragement, support, and insights, I would not be here today. As dentists, we have an unwritten social contract with our patients and society; we must never forget that in exchange, we are expected to behave individually and professionally with integrity, honesty, accountability and compassion. Thank you for this unexpected, but genuinely appreciated honor.” Dr. Paul Kavanagh Dr. Frank Hechter Dr. Ian Doyle