Dr Bill Burn was recently acknowledged with 50 years of continuous ADAWA membership. We spoke to him about his career.
Dr Bill Burn has always been good with his hands (you only need go to his practice in Nedlands and see his numerous paintings on display), so it is no surprise he ended up studying dentistry, after initially starting a medicine degree.
After graduating, Bill went straight to the country town of Moora and spent four years practicing there, before going between Moora and Perth practices until he started a practice in a rented Nedlands shopping centre office in 1978.
He eventually purchased his current office a few years later, on Broadway, in 1982, and has been servicing the Nedlands’ community ever since.
“I have always enjoyed the hands-on part of dentistry and helping people,” he says. “Having a constant income and doing something you enjoy has been rewarding.”
Away from his practice, Bill has been busy with numerous pursuits over the years. He was in the Army Reserves for eight years – ending
up with the rank of Major. During that time, he travelled all over Australia attending military events exercises, courses and learning to be a military officer. He was put in charge of the 13 Brigade field dental unit for the last few years he served. The field dental company’s role was to provide dentistry out in the battlefield, set up a field camp and have the ability to carry out emergency dentistry. “If any soldiers had problems when they were out in the bush, we could fix them up so they could stay and do their jobs,” he says. “As a military officer, my role qualified me to be involved in all military leadership roles also.
“I also used to lecture at the SAS,” he adds. “The guys there had to have lectures about field dentistry when they were out in the middle of nowhere, to be able to do some sort of patch up treatment.
“I enjoyed the Reserves – it was an adventure, character building and good to do something different.”
In 2000 he launched (after spending four years building it) his 35-foot fly bridge cruiser boat (which he says still floats) and is moored at PFSYC.
Bill also played rugby union football as a loosehead prop for 32 years (hanging up the rugby boots when he was 60-years-old).
These days, he has taken up archery and won the WA Barebow Recurve State 70+ State archery competition 2024. He also still has an interest in off-road adventure motorcycling, taking his BMW bike out into the great outdoors.
He has also dabbled in politics, campaigning as a candidate for the 2022 Federal Government Election WA seat of Curtin.
After 50 years as a dentist, Bill (who also has forensic odontology specialty) is in no rush to retire and is working three days a week on booked patients with his dental nurse (who is also his partner) happily looking after his loyal patients.
He is also operating his aerial photography drone business during any spare time, following getting a Remote Pilot License four years ago that allows him to carry out any commercial interesting work that requires aerial drone operations.
“I try to keep myself constantly challenged and have always enjoyed the hands-on side of dentistry and helping people. It is good to be doing something you enjoy,” he says.
