Chris Wright

Chris will be remembered with affection by all past members of the Community Group of the BOS and many others across the Society. 

A leading light in the Community Group, he served some 20 years on the CG committee including as Secretary and then Chairman with only two short breaks – he called them ‘periods of parole’ – in which he continued to serve the Society in other areas. He was the Community representative on the Unification Working Party in 1992 and the General Dental Practice Working Party in 1996. After retirement from clinical practice in 2006 he became Chairman of BOSF and then member of the Nominations Committee before finally stepping down from active service for the Society in 2010.  

His work on behalf of BOS was recognised with a Special Service Award in 2004 and a Life Membership in 2011. 

Chris was a wonderful colleague. His infectious enthusiasm permeated everything he did, he was interested in everything and consequently interesting himself. His knowledge of Society and Community matters was encyclopaedic, he was the go-to man for historical and legal information and indeed also for anything requiring technical expertise. During the contractual and pay negotiations with the Department of Health in my term of office as Group Chair, Chris’ knowledge and advice was invaluable, as was his ability to fix any audio-visual glitches during many a group meeting. 

Born in Birmingham, he achieved his dental degree in 1969 in Liverpool, with prizes in orthodontics and histology. He returned to Liverpool for his DOrth in 1974, before leaving his GDS practice behind and moving with his family to Northampton where he spent his career in community orthodontics and with hospital sessions at Kettering.  

Outside dentistry, and after retirement, his great enthusiasms were power and speed: motorbikes, cars and especially steam trains. Typically, he chose the sound of a steam train as entrance and exit ‘music’ at his funeral at his local church of St Columba’s, Collingtree. He had served the church from his arrival in the area in 1978 until illness prevented him once more climbing the tower to service the church clock, including adjusting the hour each spring and autumn at 2am with only his torch for illumination. 

The many friends from varied aspects of his life who attended his funeral were testament to the great affection in which this unassuming, kind, and generous man who contributed so much was held. He leaves his wife of 53 years, Pauline, son Antony, and granddaughters Maria and Lucy, his daughter Sam having predeceased him in 2019. 

Alison Newlyn 

CG Chair 2005-2009 

BOS Hon Patron 2017