Dr John D Hendry
Dr Hendry graduated from the University of Queensland School of Dental Science.
I practiced for a short time on the Sunshine Coast before eventually settling here on the Gold Coast. Along the way I have seen the practice grow from “Carrara – Merrimac Dental Practice” to “totallydental”, as well as watched my three children go through their school years.
My eldest son begins his University adventure this year, my second son goes onto the last demanding years of 11 and 12, while my daughter finds her way through middle school.
I can certainly relate to the challenges of developing good home dental habits as well as dental dilemmas facing parents. Last year, my daughter had a spectacular bike accident finishing with concussion, lots of missing skin and damaged front teeth.
For me, the foundation of all things dental is PREVENTATIVE. Apart from genetically inherited conditions, almost all dental conditions are preventable. Effective prevention programs are the best way to help the community reduce the incidence of dental conditions resulting in healthier people and less cost to the health system. So in 2001 we committed to developing the role of Hygienists in the practice. As the obesity epidemic hit, so did rising levels of decay.
I particularly enjoy helping people rehabilitate their teeth to the best possible function. This can take the form of conservative tooth coloured bonding, routine crowns and implants right through to whole mouth rehabilitation. There are many choices of techniques and materials and it is the challenge of keeping abreast of the rapid changes that keeps dentistry exciting. It is also important to carefully ensure such work is protected from the brutal bite forces in those patients who have or did have worn teeth. So, a lot of time is spent on bite protection via grinding guards amongst other options.
Patients often ask how long things will last. There is no correct answer to this. I can tell you that the best answer lies with you as a patient. Things will last as well as you look after them. Having regular visits as prescribed for you, excellent home care, not chewing overly hard things regularly, eliminating sugar and wearing protective guards as prescribed will maximise the life of your teeth and any restorative procedures.
Apart from Dentistry I really enjoy following all sports action. As a young kid I loved that last weekend in September. On Saturday was the AFL final, on Sunday was the NRL and the following weekend was Bathurst. So go the Titans, go the Suns, go the Reds.
I am also a regular blood donor. It is something that we should all look seriously at. There is no monetary cost. Just some of your time. A person’s life can change in an instant. It could be your daughter, son, wife, mother or someone who has just discovered a lump, been involved in a car accident or caught in a natural disaster. Just one morning at the Children’s cancer ward at Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane convinced me. The team at the Robina collection centre are fantastic and will gladly help you through it all.
Remember, you get one life. So make sure you smell the roses each day without fail.
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