Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 1

N ews and E vents 18 | 2020 | Issue 1 Street. His and Olga’s collection of dental artifacts and memorabilia was displayed in the reception area. When Dr. Crawford organized a mobile service to bring dental care to nursing homes, Olga helped carry equipment and assisted chairside. The dental collection grew to almost 4,000 artifacts. “Parts of the collection were in the dental office, but it was also scattered around our house.” In 1980, Dean Arthur Schwartz invited the Crawfords to exhibit part of the collection in the entrance of the Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry in Winnipeg. In 1985, Dr. Crawford served as president of the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). Then in 1988, when he retired from active clinical practice, Dr. Crawford became the editor of the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association (JCDA) in Ottawa. “I took it on as a challenge,” he says. “I had some ideas about how to make the Journal more accessible and more attractive to readers. Because I’d been CDA president, I already knew the CDA staff and had friends among them.” “Ralph was wonderful to work with,” says Linda Teteruck, director of Corporate Affairs at CDA. “Although he was very focused on his job as dental editor, he always put people first. His key phrase whenever you asked him how he was doing, he always said, ‘Never better in my whole life.’” “As editor of the JCDA he promoted good stewardship and the need for ongoing continuing education,” says Dr. Doug Smith, past chair of the DCF. “Not only was Ralph interested in the present and future of his profession, but he also had a passion for the past. He loved collecting old artifacts and antiques.” Dr. Crawford and Olga’s collection of dental artifacts was in storage at the CDA building between 1988 and 1994, when it was put on display in the Sydney Wood Bradley Library. Teteruck recalls that once at the CDA office, one of Dr. Crawford’s fillings fell out. “He was in a rush to go somewhere and did not have time to go to the dentist,” she says. “He went to the artifacts on display in our building. Next, I saw him inserting some sort of dental compound in his mouth to tide him over until he could get to the dentist. I guess they never go out of date.” The “big break” for the collection came in 1997 when the DCF established a museum in their headquarters in an old brick Victorian house in Ottawa. The couple donated their collection to the charity and served as honorary curators. “If you had the pleasure of meeting Ralph you would experience the genuine passion he has for his profession,” says Dr. Smith. “He truly is the ‘Dr. Dentistry’ of Canada.” Dr. Crawford retired, for the second time, in 1997. Six months before he retired, he contacted Dr. John O’Keefe and encouraged him to apply to succeed him. “Twenty- two years ago, he reached out to me and gave me the confidence to think about applying for the position. That nod, coming from a person that I respected so highly, encouraged me to apply,” says Dr. O’Keefe, director of Knowledge Networks at CDA. “Ralph is very politically astute as well as very kind and charming. He showed himself to be a very generous mentor. He gave To watch a video of Dr. Crawford's induction ceremony, visit gg.ca/en/activities/2019/order-canada-citadelle (L. to r.): Rachel Galipeau, Olga Crawford, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Dr. Ralph Crawford, Linda Teteruck and Donna Bierko at Rideau Hall, November 21, 2019. Dr. John O'Keefe, director of Knowledge Networks at CDA, and Dr. Crawford.