Farel Anderson, Class of 6T6

By Sarah Macfarlane

At 12 years old, Farel Anderson had two goals: help others and become a dentist.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” he says. It was a value he learned growing up in St. James, Jamaica. Despite having limited means, his parents gave as much as they could to others.

When he moved to Canada, Anderson put himself through school, studying agriculture at the University of Guelph before entering the DDS program. “I got inspiration from my professors at U of T,” he says. “They were fantastic operators and, at the same time, very people-oriented.”

After graduation, Anderson received an invitation to practice in Collingwood. “It was a white community, and I was fearful about the effects of racism,” he says. “In Guelph, Black students stayed in their rooms. We didn’t go anywhere because there were no places where you would be received. But I thought, ‘Why should I be held back?’”

When he arrived, the community welcomed him. “I didn’t feel any sense of difference. They were very receptive, their arms outstretched.” It’s been home ever since. He’s volunteered for numerous organizations, including E3 Community Living, which supports vulnerable citizens. In the 1970s, Anderson was the first Black candidate elected to Collingwood Town Council — he oversaw the police and fire departments.

His true passion, however, has always been dentistry.

Committed to educating children and alleviating their fear of the dentist, Anderson spearheaded the Brush-a-mania program in local schools.

Anderson has visited Jamaica annually for 20 years to provide care to people living in poverty. “I felt blessed to be in a position to give back some of what I’d gained in life.”

Throughout his 47-year career, he’s regularly offered dental services at reduced rates or free of charge. He’s never turned a patient away.

“Whatever I’ve done was meant to be an improvement to the person’s dental health, but it’s not just dentistry. It’s talking with patients, encouraging them and being empathetic. It’s important to satisfy their dental needs, but it’s equally important not to lose focus on the humanistic element.”

Photo by Katie Lintern

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Interested in more impact stories? Read the PDF edition of the U of T Dentistry Magazine Winter/Spring 2021 Issue