Crawford Dental Collection Gets a New Home
Posted on January 13, 2011
Cite this as: J Can Dent Assoc 2011;77:b10
The Dentistry Canada Museum’s collection of over 1500 dental artifacts was officially presented to the Museum of Health Care at Kingston, Ontario, during a ceremony held in November.
The collection, now known as the “Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Olga Crawford Dental Collection,” represents an invaluable cross-section of dental equipment and practice procedures in Canada from the past 200 years.
Dr. Crawford, a past editor of JCDA and CDA president in 1984-85, began the collection as a dental student in the 1960s and later decorated his Winnipeg dental practice with the artifacts.
“Olga and I are absolutely thrilled with the Dental Collection’s new home,” said Dr. Crawford. “Since oral health is an integral part of overall health, it is ideal that dentistry’s proud past is displayed right alongside the other health disciplines within the Museum of Health Care at Kingston.”
The Dentistry Canada Fund (DCF), the Canadian charity for oral health for 15 years, invited Dr. Crawford and his wife Olga to establish the Dentistry Canada Museum at DCF’s Ottawa headquarters in 1997. When the DCF closed down its activities in 2008, the collection was offered to the Museum of Health Care at Kingston.
“The addition of the Crawford Dental Collection will not only benefit the museum's growing health and health care collections, but also ensure that this significant legacy of Canadian dental history remains a rich and publicly accessible national resource,” said Dr. James Low, executive director of the Museum of Health Care.
The Crawford Dental Collection will be ready for public display beginning in the spring of 2011, once renovations at the Kingston museum are completed.
Well done to all especially Ralph and Olga. My father would have been extremely proud of them.
Dear Ralph and Olga:
Great news that all your hard work to gather this collection will result in it having a great new home.
Many thanks for all your efforts over the years in preserving so much of our dental history.
Do you have the address of the new “home"as I will have more items to contribute.
again,many thanks for your great efforts on behalf of the profession.
Kindest regards,Bob Sexton,Corner Brook,Newfoundland
I am responsible for creating an old dental office (1920s-1930s) for our small museum in New Liskeard, Northern Ontario. I have two old dental chairs and old drills, one with the foot peddle, and the equipment with the water, spitting bowl, lights etc. but is not in full working order.
I am looking for some old hand tools and equipment that the museum could bowwow (for three years the display will be shown) and place them in a glassed in cabinet with a few notes as to what they are and what they were used for.
I have been in contact with several local dentists and have been given some assistance from them. Our display will open by June 1st so there is some urgency in receiving your response as to whether you have any surplus equipment and whether or not you would loan it to the museum.
Any help or suggestions you could give us would be appreciated.
Yours sincerely
Clair Shepherdson-Vice President.