It bothered the late Dr. Ed Freedman that many in our society can't afford even basic dental care, and so in his last years he brought a never-say-die tenacity to trying to start a volunteer-run clinic to meet at least some of the need.

But then time ran out. Just as Freedman's dream was coming tantalizingly close to being realized, the long-time Lancaster dentist found he had cancer. In four short months he lost the battle, succumbing last September at the age of 80.

Freedman was hopeful his legacy would be the clinic. By the spring of 2010 he had made significant strides, having recruited board members, secured a site and launched an ambitious capital campaign.

But then the million-dollar fund drive fell short, and plans for a clinic were abandoned. What went wrong? It's possible that in trying to raise so much, Freedman overreached, particularly in these tough times. But it's also likely the loss of his leadership played a role.

"When he fell ill," said Freedman's widow, Natalie, "the ball kind of got dropped."

Duplicated effort?

Freedman's passing means my phone no longer rings when he wants to chat about progress or setbacks as he plugs away at pushing the clinic forward. I miss those calls because Freedman wore his heart on his sleeve and his compassion and doggedness were an inspiration. The example of his life is legacy enough for anyone who knew him.

I say that because I've started to wonder whether Freedman was wrong about the need for a volunteer-run clinic. That's a hard thing for me to say because it feels like a betrayal.

About the big picture, Freedman was not wrong at all. Our community has long fallen short in meeting the dental needs of uninsured workers and seniors. And then there are the poor themselves, people covered by Medical Assistance but unable to find a dentist who accepts the state's discounted payments. Freedman saw some of those patients in his office, but he knew more needed to be done — more as in a clinic.

Nonetheless, it's reasonable to ask whether starting a clinic would have been the best way to address the need. Would his clinic have duplicated efforts at SouthEast Lancaster Health Services, Water Street Ministries, St. Joseph Health Ministries and the new dental residency at Lancaster General Hospital? Would donations going to a new clinic actually have had a bigger bang if invested in strengthening existing programs?

Positive momentum

What I do know for sure is Freedman's advocacy is bearing fruit in ways he never anticipated.

The first is Dental Access Lancaster County, an initiative launched last month that links low-income uninsured patients with 147 dental providers who agree to see seven to 10 of those patients a year. DALCO came about in part because of discussions Freedman's fund-raising consultant had with dental care stakeholders here.

Second, Natalie Freedman decided that SouthEast Lancaster will receive $75,000 contributed to her husband's clinic. The donation comes as SouthEast expands from six dental operatories to 13.

And the final outcome is SouthEast's agreement to create the Dr. Edward S. Freedman Initiative, a fund SouthEast will tap to help patients most unable to pay for care.

Natalie Freedman told me that the way things have worked out feels "bittersweet." And I have to agree.

But I also like to think that as long as memories of Dr. Freedman inspire people to roll up their sleeves for a cause they believe in, his legacy will live on.

jhawkes@lnpnews.com