IN MEMORIAM

Robert Malcolm Cook 12/11/1928 - 22/08/2020

By David Wiesenfeld and Andrew Heggie Melbourne, Australia

A highly accomplished Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Bob Cook was a major figure and leader of the specialty, as well as a teacher and mentor to many trainees and junior surgeons. In 1989, Bob was awarded, “Member of the Order of Australia” in recognition of his service to Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Bob was born in Bluff, on the southern coast of New Zealand in 1928. His family moved to the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in 1936 where he attended Camberwell High School. He completed his secondary education at Scotch College and was accepted to study Dentistry at the University of Melbourne, graduated in 1952. After serving as the first Resident Dental Officer at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1953, he continued further surgical training at The Eastman London and the Royal Infirmary Bolton, United Kingdom, and was awarded the FDSRCS.

When Bob completed the MDSc (Melb) in Oral Surgery, he was appointed as “Oral Surgeon” to four Melbourne public hospitals, for which he provided oncall services for facial trauma, particularly from motor vehicle accidents. At that time, there were no seat belts nor airbags, thus front-seat drivers and passengers were often projected through the car windscreens. It was common for him to manage multiple pan-facial trauma patients in a single-weekend duty. Over time, his Units grew, and others joined. Bob restricted his trauma load to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he subsequently became the Head of Unit in 1971 until 1988 and supervised the training of a generation of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Victoria.

Bob was an innovative surgeon – with the encouragement of Head Plastic Surgeon, John Hueston, he advanced the care of patients with facial injuries, and initiated the correction of facial deformities, both developmental and acquired. In 1964, following a study visit to Hugo Obwegeser’s Unit in Zurich, he performed the first mandibular osteotomy in Australia, several years before these procedures were adopted in the United States. This early pioneering work set the scene for the rapidly developing field of orthognathic surgery in collaboration with orthodontics. He also played a role in the development of the multi-disciplinary care of Head and Neck cancer patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital which combined the expertise of General, ENT, Plastic and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Bob was a highly energetic, enthusiastic and thoughtful practitioner and was regarded as a skilful, quick surgeon who leads by example. Attested by many of his colleagues, he demonstrated a steel-trap memory for detail, could recall names of those he met despite only fleetingly. When junior staffs hoped they had successfully buried some oversights or errors, Bob would unexpectedly pounce with evidence at a later

stage, keeping everyone on their toes. He was the consummate political representative for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) in the surgical world and highly respected by other craft groups,paving the way for the broader acceptance of OMS as a standalone specialty in subsequent years.

Bob served as President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 1978-1981. He was the first Australian to become the President of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAOMS) in 1992, a wonderful ambassador for Australia. He was a prolific traveller and through the IAOMS he developed lifelong friendships with fellows around the globe, whom he continued to meet regularly. His contacts also assisted a number of young surgeons to obtain subspecialty Fellowships in the UK, USA and Europe.

As President of the Victorian Branch of Australian Dental Association in 1964, Bob actively participated in building a relationship between the profession and government through committee works. With others, he was instrumental in establishing and examining in the Specialty Fellowship in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery within Bob’s contribution to Australia extended beyond the the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. At surgical world. He served as a Surgeon Lt. Commander the University of Melbourne, in collaboration with Peter and Consultant Surgeon to The Royal Australian Navy Reade, he taught and examined at undergraduate and and was an active member of many clubs including postgraduate levels. He supported the development Rotary, The Melbourne Club, Royal South Yarra Tennis of the MDSc in OMS and assisted in guiding the Club and both Flinders and Metropolitan Golf Clubs. University processes to adopt the FRACDS(OMS) as a national standard. His lasting legacy at the University With his wife, Gillian, he maintained an active social and of Melbourne is the establishment of The Robert and vigorous lifestyle. At their farm in Flinders overlooking Gillian Cook Family Award for enrolled post-graduate Bass Strait, he conducted a successful Simmental students to support research in OMS. cattle breeding program. They both skied with their international friends well into their mid He was the first Australian 80’s. In between everything else, Bob was also an accomplished scuba diver. He to become the President remained active until about 18 months ago, of the International and passed away peacefully in his sleep. Association of Oral and Always a devoted family man, Bob is Maxillofacial Surgeons survived by his wife Gillian, their children Hamish, Alistair, Matthew, and Kirsten, (IAOMS) in 1992, a and nine grandchildren. His broadly wonderful ambassador for rounded life of service and commitment was well-lived. He will be remembered Australia. fondly by his family, friends and colleagues. RIP. ■