Doherty, Una Bernadette (1963 - 2023)
by
 
Derrick Willmot

Asset Name
E010468 - Doherty, Una Bernadette (1963 - 2023)

Title
Doherty, Una Bernadette (1963 - 2023)

Author
Derrick Willmot

Identifier
RCS: E010468

Publisher
The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Publication Date
2023-10-06

Subject
Medical Obituaries

Description
Obituary for Doherty, Una Bernadette (1963 - 2023), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Language
English

Source
IsPartOf Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Date of Birth
2 October 1963

Place of Birth
Creggan Derry

Date of Death
23 May 2023

Occupation
Dental surgeon
 
Orthodontist

Titles/Qualifications
BDS Liverpool 1990
 
FDSRCS 1995
 
MOrth 1999
 
MDentSci

Details
Una Doherty was a dental surgeon and specialist orthodontist in Sheffield. She was born on 2 October 1963 in the Creggan, Derry, the sixth of nine children. Her father Patrick Doherty’s employment, he was a project manager in the construction industry, brought the family to Cheshire in August 1970. Her mother was Susan Doherty née Browne. Una qualified as a dental surgery assistant in 1985 at Liverpool Dental Hospital, at the same time as studying for her A levels. She was accepted on the dental degree course at Liverpool University, commencing September 1986, however, she was already determined to follow her lifelong passion, orthodontics. In the summer holidays she observed and assisted Warren Jones, a consultant at Warrington Hospital, with the intention of making that her career. She was awarded her BDS in December 1990 and she stayed on at the dental school as a junior house officer. She then spent 18 months as a resident house officer at Worcester Royal Infirmary, under maxillofacial consultant Tony Sears. Living on site, she performed a one-in-two days on-call, and she would find herself travelling to district hospitals in Droitwich, Redditch and Malvern in the middle of the night. After Worcester, she worked in the community in Hanley, in the Potteries, before returning to Liverpool for an oral surgery post. All this time she was studying for her FDS parts one and two, which she obtained in 1995. She was then accepted as a registrar on the MOrth training programme at Liverpool. She was an orthodontic registrar to Stephen Rudge, who described her as a tremendous clinician who was caring, conscientious and had a great rapport with patients. She obtained her MOrth and specialist registration in 1999 and worked as an associate with several orthodontists, before, in 2003, becoming principal of her own practice in Sheffield. Her practice was on Glossop Road, Sheffield, and was subsequently based in a Georgian town house on that road, which had been a dental practice for over a century. She was involved in all the details of a refurbishment, which reflected her own strong sense of style, colour and aesthetics. It was a time of change in NHS primary dental care, with the new contract bringing in the ‘UOA’ (units of orthodontic activity) and the introduction of the ‘IOTN’ (index of orthodontic treatment need) scale. The practice was well-situated to expand into private treatments, both children and adults, and she became a successful Invisalign provider. Una was very much a hands-on principal and was enthusiastically involved in all aspects of running the practice. The success of the orthodontic clinic derived as much from her personality as from the excellent results she achieved. Una was pleasant, reassuring, attentive and ready to answer any question. Patients would often send in friends and other family members for treatment. Una’s good nature brought loyal, hard-working support staff, who she would encourage to take extra qualifications to advance their careers. She travelled internationally, Buenos Aires and Tokyo were particular favourites, and she raised money for the dental charity Dentaid on a 2007 trek up Mount Sinai. Closer to home, she enjoyed visiting the ancient houses of Derbyshire, and sponsored the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. She always dressed in her own distinctive style, enjoyed concerts, good food and dining out, and, during lockdown, she finally perfected her favourite, Irish soda bread. It was orthodontics that was her great motivation and, even when she was unwell, Una continued to treat patients. This, and her positive, optimistic nature, helped her through the often-challenging treatments. Her passing, still seeming so young and full of energy for life, affected all who knew her. She will be deeply missed and ever remembered by former patients, family, friends, colleagues, and especially her husband Alan Caton.

Sources
British Orthodontic Society Una Bernadette Doherty www.bos.org.uk/professionals-members/members-area-publications-general-guidance/obituaries/una-bernadette-doherty/#:~:text=Una%20Doherty%20was%20born%20in,to%20Cheshire%2C%20in%20August%201970 – accessed 25 September 2023

Rights
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England
 
Image Copyright (c) Image reproduced with kind permission of Alan Caton

Collection
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Format
Obituary

Format
Asset

Asset Path
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E010000-E010999/E010400-E010499

URL for File
387349

Media Type
JPEG Image

File Size
39.94 KB