Celebrating a centenary

More than 110 people including current staff and Partners of Cottesloe Dental, former Partners and staff of more than 10 years’ service at the practice and special guests came together in March for an event at the Freshwater Bay Yacht Club to celebrate the practice’s centenary.

Founded by Len Glaskin in 1923, the practice was originally run out of Len’s home in Mosman Park, before the practice was moved to the rear of Greens Chemist on Stirling Highway. Len was joined by his son Bruce at the practice in 1947 and the pair worked together for a number of years until Len’s retirement (Len spent 31 years at the practice and Bruce 46 years).

The practice experienced great growth in the 1960s and moved next door to Greens Chemist to a purpose-building (the practice’s current location), which has been renovated and expanded several times over the years. The practice has been staffed by a loyal group of dentists, and Dentist and Partner Dr Colin O’Brien (who joined Cottesloe Dental in 1986) laughs that his time at Cottesloe Dental is by no means the longest. “One of our dentists, Dr Max Trott, was at the practice for 50 years,” he says. “Drs Bruce Glaskin, John Carroll, Bruce Barblett and Ken Cumming all did about 40 years of service each at the practice.”

As well as caring for three or four generations of patients, Colin says a big part of the practice’s history has been servicing the private schools around the area. “As a result, there is a large country connection as a lot of the students were boarders,” he explains. “Those students would then go back to the country and send their next generation of children to the practice when they became boarders.” When asked why Cottesloe Dental has been trusted to care for the oral health of their community for 100 years, Colin says the team has always kept abreast of current technology and been staffed by dedicated Partners. “Our partnership (currently with seven Partners) works well due to the comradery and longevity of many of the Partners and the subsequent continuity.

“We also have a prominent place in the Cottesloe area, right on the highway and adjacent to the Cottesloe Central Shopping Centre. We have concentrated on being a family practice and that is where we will go forward,” he says.
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“There might be changes but it is a community practice and has been successful thanks to the contribution of many people over a long time.”

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A warm congratulations to all the Cottesloe Dental staff and Partners on their centenary.