After seeing more than 1,300 patients from the Highlands, and doing in excess of $4.7 million worth of free dentistry since May 19, 2011, Volunteer Dental Outreach (VDO) has closed its clinic in Haliburton.
The charity confirmed on Oct. 12 that it had shuttered its doors. The board of directors made the voluntary decision at their Sept. 25 regular board meeting.
The winding down is a direct result of Canada’s new Dental Care Plan, in which low-income residents now have access to dentistry.
The board said the plan, “is a milestone that the VDO celebrates as a major win for dental access for those in need, which had always remained the goal of this important charity. This marks the end of an exceptional chapter in Haliburton County’s healthcare history.”
Co-founder Dr. Bill Kerr said they saw an initial drop of about 20 per cent of patients last year, when seniors 65 years old and up were covered under the plan. Over the summer, after the feds rolled out the plan for all ages in May, Kerr said they were mostly just transferring patients.
“By the end of August, there were only two dentists volunteering and we couldn’t fill our days.” Kerr saw his last patient Sept. 25, and is now just finishing up one denture case at his own office in Minden.
At the peak of the charity, they had seven dentists, a hygienist, a denturist, and several dental assistants putting in
volunteer time.
VDO leases the space from Dysart et al, with the lease up at the end of January. Kerr said when it comes to equipment, they have to get it all appraised and sold at fair market value. They will donate any leftover funds.
Kerr and his late wife, Lisa, established VDO.
“The community really rallied around us. I reached out to Janis Parker, who was on council at the time. The council
was very supportive and so many people volunteered and it was just such a huge community project. It was very humbling to have so many people come alongside us in terms of making this thing work.”
Kerr added it was “bittersweet. It’s been a part of my life for 15 years and Lisa was the backbone in terms of setting the tone and making sure no volunteer’s time was wasted and that every dollar donated was stretched to the max. Lisa would have loved the fact that the government finally stepped up and were looking after these people that were disadvantaged. I’m sure she would be so thrilled with how things are going, but she would also be thinking,
‘this was our baby’.”
Kerr reminisced about the many VDO golf tournaments, concerts by the lake, and bowling tournaments to raise money.
When it comes to wrapping things up, the dentist said the Royal College of Dental Surgeons has strict guidelines around closing a practice and managing records. They have paper charts and X-rays on the computer at VDO that will be moved to Dentistry in the Highlands.
If people want records transferred, they can contact VDO now, up until the end of 2025. Starting in January, they won’t be able to because the phone lines will be disconnected. Dentistry in the Highlands has agreed to take on the administrative task of distributing patient dental records to other dental offices with patient’s written consent.
Kerr said it will take a full six months to wind down, including voluntarily giving up their charitable status and dissolving the non-profit corporation.
To honour the volunteers, donors, and patients, a celebration event will be held in the spring of 2026. VDO’s phone lines will remain open for inquiries for the next few months at 705-457-3111
