“I had the pleasure of working with Heather Whyte, in her capacity as Director of Communications at the Ontario Dental Association, from 2001-2006. When Heather first joined the ODA, I was a member of the Board of Directors and she gave the Board much to think about. One Board process that she led us through was how to develop a five year strategic plan. That framework, though adjusted somewhat over time, is essentially still in place with the Board of Directors at the Association.

Where I really got to work with Heather was as a Board Liaison working on a communication strategy for both our members and the public. This project involved a public awareness campaign around screening for oral cancer. The strategy she employed was brilliant and got both the public and media’s attention, with the flashing red spot on the side of the tongue featured on billboards all across southern Ontario.

From there, Heather led us through a communication strategy to help our members communicate better with both our patients and our medical colleagues. This became known as the Oral Health Strategy. Heather somehow managed to get Dr. Robert Buckman, a well respected and media savvy physician, to join us in this endeavour and he spoke on communication topics to our members at our Annual Spring Meeting. Other lectures, developed from this strategy, were delivered to our members at later ASM’s, to help our members in their interactions with their patients.

The Oral Health Strategy, initiated and fostered by Heather Whyte in 2002-6, is still part of the ASM in 2024. This speaks volumes to the worthiness of the strategy and the energy and planning put into this project. No other Communication Director at the ODA, and I have worked with many over the last thirty- four years, has such a legacy. It was a pleasure and honour to work to work with Heather, someone who truly understands how to think ‘out of the box’.”

Dr. Rick Caldwell
Former President Ontario Dental Association (2013-2014)