TECHNICIANS INSIGHT
A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF...
A DENTAL MECHANIC By Andy Sanson
I This is the first in the series of diversionary and humorous articles, it is a modern iteration of the previous feature titled ‘Lateral Thinking’ by Andy Sanson. Andy is a retired Dental Technician who has kindly offered to share some of his stories and experiences throughout his career.
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t was never my intention to be a dental mechanic. Before I found myself pressganged into seeking a job I didn’t even know such a thing existed. The thought never occurred to me that the bleached objects Aunty Dolly immersed each night in her bedside glass of diluted Domestos must have been made by somebody. It wasn’t the sort of thing a fifteen year old acne carriage in Early Sixties’ Merseyside dwelt upon very much. Mini skirts, the Space Race, Dr Who and the Rolling Stones, yes - false teeth, I don’t think so. I lived on the Wirral, a short ferry ride from the Cavern Club. The Beatles, the Stones, the Who, Small Faces and the Kinks took up the percentage of my time that didn’t involve falling down wells and dreaming up more and more destructive ways of using the Standard bangers and rockets I had squirreled away in little hideyholes for use in the school holidays.
By the time it came to seeking gainful employment, Merseyside had become the Welsh Borders, fireworks had become motorcycles and jelly and ice cream, testosterone, which, for those whose attention may already be wandering, is not a triangular, Alpine-themed confection of chocolate, honey and nougat. It was the summer of ’69. Neil and Buzz had just walked on the Moon, the Beatles had all but fallen apart at the seams and the Great Hippie Peace and Love Ideal would shortly come crashing down around the ears of us all at Altamont. Ah, yes, the summer of ’69. That’s 1969 and not reference to an indeterminate summer during which I discovered the existence of certain activities from which I had been hitherto shielded by well-meaning ‘grown-
www.dentaltechnician.org.uk 06/07/2021 16:45
