Blazing trails, one root canal at a time

As a woman who has been practicing dentistry for 45 years, Deborah Battrum is no stranger to breaking boundaries.

“Back then, at University of Toronto it was actually more acceptable for women to go into medicine than dentistry,” Deborah recalls. “Some of my male classmates felt like the women in our class were taking away their jobs, so it could be difficult at times. The feeling was that women didn’t practice yet most of the women in my class practiced for decades”

Throughout her career, she continued to blaze a trail for women in the field. When she had her first practice in Ucluelet, she was one of the first female dentists to work on Vancouver Island. After pursuing specialized education at the Baylor College of Dentistry in Texas, she returned to BC as the third woman in the province to practice endodontics. And, she remains the only woman to have served as president of the BC Dental Association. She has also served on boards at the Royal College of Dentists, the Canadian Dental Association and as a Dental Specialty examiner for Endodontics.

But her other passion is her rescue horses, all of which live on the Lake Country orchard that houses her endodontics practice.

“I have always loved horses, and I got one for myself as soon as I paid off my debt from endodontics residency,” Deborah says. “Then, when I found another horse that needed adoption, that one turned into two, and then two turned into three. And at that point I knew it was time to stop boarding them at a stable and buy my own ranch.”

In 2011, she founded Old Friends Canada Society, a non-profit organization and registered charity that takes in horses, donkeys and mules who have been abandoned, abused or simply retired. Today, the organization is still going strong, with a team of wonderful volunteers who help Deborah to care for the horses, maintain the stable and even give tours to community members.

It may seem odd to get a root canal on a ranch, but Deborah says the presence of the animals actually makes an otherwise nerve wracking situation into a peaceful experience.

“Not many people look forward to a root canal appointment,” she laughs. “But there is a rather calming effect when a horse or goat wanders past the window. Plus, because I only see a limited number of patients these days, your appointment can take as long as you need. There’s never any rush.”

If you would like to support Old Friends Canada Society with a donation or book a tour of the ranch, you can visit oldfriendscanada.org. Or send an email to oldfriendscanada@gmail.com.

“The support of the community enables the volunteers and me to continue to provide refuge to farm animals in need,” Deborah says. “Send us a note to arrange a visit and see for yourself what a truly special place it is.”