Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
September 2008
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Electronic ISSN:
1754-2758
Vol:
9
Issue:
3

editorial.pdf

Tribute: Michael John Prendergast The sudden death of Mike Prendergast on 19th June 2008 resulted from a heart attack whilst on holiday in Turkey. Born on 8th January 1945, Mike was raised in Wombwell near Barnsley in Yorkshire and went on to study Dentistry at the Turner Dental School in Manchester from 1964 to 1968. He returned to Yorkshire to work for the School Dental Service for the West Riding County Council, in his home town. This service was integrated into the NHS as part of Barnsley Area Health Authority in 1974. Mike was promoted to Senior Dental Officer (Special Needs Services) with Kirklees Health Authority and spent many years working with patients with a wide range of disabilities and those from a variety of deprived communities. During this time he greatly valued the friendship and peer support provided by his colleagues in the British Society for Disability and Oral Health (BSDH). He returned to his studies in 1984 undertaking a Master of Community Dental Health degree at Leeds University under the supervision of Professor Martin Curzon and presented a successful dissertation on the health of Asian children attending schools in Batley. His interest in the plight of children from the Indian sub-continent introduced him to the work of Professor Sonia Williams with whom he was to develop a fruitful and close working relationship in the years to follow. Shortly after gaining his Masters degree Mike made a transformational career change when he took up the post of Senior Dental Officer in Public Health for Leeds Health Authority. This post included an honorary academic appointment at Leeds Dental School. Mike was unfailing in his support for student researchers including many from overseas arising from his links with IADH. He provided much support for his colleagues in Community Dental

Services in Yorkshire by acting as the regional coordinator for the BASCD school surveys programme. Mike continued to support the work of BSDH, taking on the role of Honorary Treasurer from 1992 to 1997. In this role he also acted as the Finance Officer for the organising committee for the 1996 IADH Congress in Edinburgh. The resounding success of this congress financially allowed the establishment of a travel bursary for members of BSDH seeking to attend future IADH meetings. The organizing committee was also able to provide funds towards a project particularly dear to Mike, the IADH journal fund. Mike became President of BSDH in 1999 and used the opportunity to pursue his interest in developing a scientific journal for Special Care Dentistry, the Journal of Disability and Oral Health, working with June Nunn and a dedicated team. The successful development of Mike’s career in Dental Public Health was confirmed in 2000 when he was appointed as Consultant in Dental Public Health by Shropshire Health Authority. In this post Mike was able to guide services through the troubled times of the new NHS contract and oversee the development of a range of innovative services. This was achieved as a result of Mike’s good-humoured enthusiasm coupled with a steely determination to get the job done despite being affected by personal ill health. Mike retired in 2006 and spent two happy years with his wife Mandy pursuing those leisure interests that sustained him throughout his life. His love of opera and his involvement with amateur dramatics was reflected in the memorial service at Shrewsbury Crematorium on July 11th 2008, which was a fitting celebration in remembrance of his life. He will be greatly missed. He will be missed by those colleagues who were touched by his work and benefited from his support. He will be missed by his friends including those in the amateur dramatic society who have lost a fine leading man, pantomime dame and their best ‘tortoise fun runner’. He will be missed most of all by Mandy to whom we send our deepest sympathy. John Hinchliffe. July 2008.

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£15.00
Page Start
99
Page End
99
Authors
John Hinchliffe

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. STOP PRESS
  2. 98
  3. 98

  1. editorial.pdf
  2. 99
  3. 99

  1. An audit of the Restorative Dentistry Index of Treatment Need Complexity Assessment
  2. 100
  3. 112

  1. Health issues in persons with Down syndrome
  2. 113
  3. 120

  1. The dental health of adults with learning disabilities – results of a pilot study
  2. 121
  3. 132

  1. Behaviour guidance in dentistry for patients with autism spectrum disorder using a structured visual guide
  2. 136
  3. 140

  1. Unusual behavioural response of a patient with learning disabilities: A case study
  2. 141
  3. 143

  1. Diary Dates
  2. 144
  3. 144

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