CATEGORY 102 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST COLUMNISTS Perhaps it really was because he was a dentist that Dr Eupene, AM, could see the magic waiting in a ower? It was certainly because he was a dentist that he was able to journey through the gorgeous virgin country of Outback Australia, be part of rst contact with the world’s most ancient living culture, join dental safaris bringing help to thousands, and follow a star that led to an Order of Australia, deep love for dentistry and a life shaped by the qualities and skills inherent in good dentists. Dr Eupene built his lifepath on an ethic of ground-up care from his foundation in dentistry. When he looked into the mouths of patients he saw rst where he could help: where solid skills, capability, and ethics could create health. Later, he was to look into the face of a strange and exotic ower, and discover a whole world of opportunity, waiting inside. A brilliant career How to have a good career – a love letter for every dentist At the end of a brilliant career, twice-medalled Aussie dentist, Kerry Eupene, explains to Jade Richardson why solid skills, goodness and adventure remain the true heart of a rich path in dentistry. including how to operate a bush practice using Alfoil for lighting, the importance of a buxom woman as a comfort and headrest where there are no dental chairs, no practice facilities, and where basic extractions provide life-saving relief to the very real Australian communities in dire need of dental support. “Committed practitioners are absolutely vital to getting care out there, still,” he says. “ e need is great. e need is very great – and the rewards of these kinds of experiences are an unmatchable quality of experience, a depth of connection, and contact with the real roots of dentistry, which are about creativity, the power of good general skills, and genuine involvement in the true needs of our communities.” from a rural town too small back then to provide a high school. It was at boarding school in Scarborough that his stars would align. A snappy-looking Jaguar would roll up once a week, he recalls, with a charismatic visiting dentist and his well-noticed lovely assistant. A kind of electric buzz a icted the boys whenever the Jag pulled up. A thrill enlivened the air. “And every time, all of the boys, we were thinking Pick me! Pick me! for the dentist’s chair. Because we all wanted to be around this guy, with his fantastic car, his pictures of race horses in the surgery, his enthusiasm and of course, his charming nurse.” “We all thought, ‘this dentistry thing is where it’s at! is is the life! Race horses, ladies, beautiful cars … I signed up for dental school because of him. Almost all of us wanted to.” at vision splendid saw Dr Eupene through his dentistry degree, but crashed down shortly after. “When I got out of school I went to see him, he was my hero, I wanted to keep following the dream. But oh, how the mighty had fallen,” he chuckles. “I went out the back of the practice and well, the girls there didn’t seem quite as happy and charming as before. e race horse pictures were gone. He looked at me with a shrug, ‘Lost it all on the horses, mate,’ he said. ‘A mug’s game. I’ve blown my dough.” ere was a Valiant station wagon in the car park. “I seriously frightened myself that Speaking from his home in the Northern Territory about the long journey of his extraordinary career, Kerry laughs into the sunshine and remembers the chance encounters, dreams and daring that helped to navigate his star. In ve decades he learned as much from the bush as he did at university, With all this at heart, and a love for adventure, science and innovation, Dr Eupene’s story o ers an inspiring example of how dedication, passion and a heavy splash of humour can forge a dental career to smile about. He not only achieved two Australian honours, (one being the Centenary Medal and the other, Order of Australia) he saw an unforgettable era of Australian history, found himself deeply rooted in the good soil of solid basic dental skills, and at the helm too, of a pioneering journey in the Aussie tropical fruit industry. But before we get to the owers, let’s take a little look back at how it all began. A Queensland country boy, Kerry hails
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