Veteran dental technician Dr John Attenborough has died.
Recently rewarded for his ‘outstanding services to dental technology’, the son of the founder of Nottingham’s Attenborough Dental was born in 1926 and his years in the lab span decades.
Last year he was presented with the E.A. Dennison award – which recognised his ‘services to dental technology’ – at a ceremony at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.
In 2003, the company celebrated its 90th anniversary with a dinner which was attended by Dr Attenborough who had, at the time, devoted a staggering 53 years service. It was hailed as a ‘wonderful celebration of loyalty, tradition, and continuity of knowledge and service’.
Dr Attenborough retired as director 10 years ago but continued to provide a wealth of experience as a consultant to the company.
Dr John Leonard Attenborough BDS ULond LDS RCS Eng 1926-2009
o 1st January 1926 Born, Nottingham
o 1937 – 1943 Educated at Oakham School, Rutland
o 1943 – 1947 Guy’s Hospital, peers include John MacLean, Jack Tulley, Prof Jack Rowe. Bombed out of lodgings in Forest Hill, also near miss V1 flying bomb on a commuter train at Croydon, train wrecked. 10% extra marks allegedly given for V1 exploding outside during anatomy exam. The exam continued when order restored and rubble cleared. V2 rocket blew in windows of Guys dental lab when working late doing a balanced set up on a Fenn articulator
o 1948 Qualified BDS ULond 1947, LDS RCS Eng
o 1948 House Surgeon to Mr. Messenger, Guys Dental Hospital
o 1948 – 1950 National Service, Royal Army Dental Corps
o 1948 – 1949 Officer in Charge Lark Hill Dental Centre (now DDA) with 5th brigade Royal Horse Artillery
o 1949 – 1950 Office in Command Gibraltar Garrison Surgery, learnt to ski in Sierra Nevada on Mulhacen
o 1948 – 1950 Played rugby for REME, training battalion (wing forward)
o 1950 Released, honorary rank Captain Royal Army Dental Corps, joined family run dental laboratory C. & L.E. Attenborough Ltd
o 1951 Advisor on Orthodontic appliances. Member of BSSO.
o 1951 Researched stellite castings. Set up first British laboratory using British materials and equipment and trained technicians on their use for cobalt chrome
o 1955 Founded East Midland sub-aqua club, trained Nottingham City and
Nottinghamshuire County police divers, the first in the UK
o 1959 Replaced unsatisfactory acrylic crowns with the older technique of high fused Prisma porcelain helped by some older technicians with 40-year memories and self wound platinum wire furnaces. Updated later to vacuum firing and medium / low fusing temperatures
o 1960 Gave dry ski training classes for Central Council of Physical Recreation
o 1963 Founded Peak Ski Club
o 1964 Invitation life membership of the Ski Club of Great Britain for work as representative
o 1965 Introduced VMK / Degudent bonded crowns in the UK and trained technicians on this technique
Clinical demonstrations committee secretary for BDA Annual Conference held in Nottingham
o 1966 Theatre assistant to Tom Battersley, Nottingham Oral surgeon in the use and design of implants for internal fixation of maxillo-facial fractures.
o 1970 Set up orthodontic service for Nottinghamshire County Council
o 1970 BDA East Midlands Branch social committee secretary. Branch Treasurer
o 1973 – 1974 President BDA East Midlands Branch
o 1977 – 1981 Chairman Daybrook House plc a social welfare organisation
o 1982 – 1999 Managing Director C & L.E. Attenborough Ltd
o 1982 Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council Orthodontic Service
o 1999 – present Consultant to C. & L.E. Attenborough Ltd. Still advise on technical procedures,
case design and final check cases before despatch
o 2004 Diploma for Implant Treatment in Difficult Cases, Guys Hospital
o 2006 GDC Registered Dental Technician and Dental Surgeon
o 2007 Recipient of E.A. Dennison Award for services to Dental Technology
o Interests Gardening, fly fishing, golf, bowls
