Lancashire Dental Practice History
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
1921 | After completing an apprenticeship with a dental technician, Arthur Marsden would take over Albert House Dental Surgery in Colne. The practice was previously run by a tackler in the local mill who practiced dentistry only as a sideline (a common occurrence at the time). Arthur would go on to practice general dentistry. Arthur would also work alongside his colleague, anaesthetist Harold Ashworth. The pair would regularly treat patients under general anaesthetic in their own homes! Howard Ashworth learnt his trade during the First World War when he worked in the field hospitals treating injured soldiers. He was still administering gas for general anaesthetic at nearly 90 years of age! |
1957 | Stewart Marsden (son of Arthur Marsden) qualifies as a dentist and starts to work at Colne alongside his father. |
1964 | Arthur Marsden sadly passed away; he practiced dentistry right up until his death. Stewart Marsden now runs Albert House single handed. |
1965 | Stewart Marsden acquires a dental surgery in Ewood, Blackburn. He spends half his time working here and the other half at Albert House in Colne. The surgery today is now a terraced house on the opposite side of Bolton Road where the practice at Ewood is today. |
1975 | Carol Perkins (still our practice manager) joins the practice straight from school to train to become a dental nurse. Not long after, Stephen Matterson joins the practice as an associate dentist for Stewart Marsden. |
1980 | Stephen Matterson becomes a partner in the practice alongside Stewart Marsden. They form a partnership known as Marsden and Matterson. |
1981 | Alison Wright (now Phelan) gets her first job at Albert House, Colne, as a trainee dental nurse. Alison’s father asks Stephen Matterson if the job is permanent… 32 years later Alison remains at the Colne practice as Head Dental Nurse! |
1983 | Gordon Biltcliffe and John Varley would start at the practice as associate dentists; they had just qualified as dentists that year. Wendy Holden also joins the practice in the same year, in present day Wendy is head nurse at our Ewood Practice in Blackburn. |
1989 | Ewood House Dental Surgery is relocated from the terrace on one side of Bolton Road to a re-developed dress shop which now consists of seven surgeries and is quite state of the art. It includes a full mouth x-ray machine, a staffroom and an office. This would be the same year that Karl Tuzio would join the practice straight out of dental school as a Vocational Trainee. |
1990 | A new surgery is opened on Audley Range, Blackburn – the first of its kind in the area. The practice opens from 3pm until 6pm each day, to fit in with the sister surgery in Ewood. |
1992 | Stewart Marsden retires from general practice aged 57 years. Gordon Biltcliffe and John Varley become partners in the same year. The partnership is now known as Matterson, Biltcliffe & Varley. |
1995 | Karl Tuzio becomes a partner in the practice forming the partnership as it is known today – Matterson, Biltcliffe, Varley & Tuzio. |
2010 | Audley Range Dental surgery is relocated to a fully refurbished and purpose built building – The Dental Centre on Accrington Road, Blackburn. The surgery consists of four surgeries and a state of the art decontamination suite. |
2012 | An extension to the Colne surgery sees the introduction of the Orthodontic suite on the first floor. |
Present Day | Matterson, Biltcliffe, Varley & Tuzio now consists of Albert House Dental Surgery, Colne, Ewood House Dental Surgery, Blackburn and The Dental Centre, Blackburn – totalling 16 surgeries! Staff include; 8 dental surgeons, 1 specialist Orthodontist, 1 specialist Oral and Implant surgeon, 5 dental therapists, 2 orthodontic therapists, 2 hygienists, 28 Dental Nurses, 5 cleaners and 2 administrators – a far cry from the one man band in the 1920’s! The surgeries now offer the latest treatments and technologies including Orthodontics, Oral Surgery and implants as well as general dentistry. |
