Retired dentist Denise Forshaw creates artwork during the pandemic

Recently retired dentist Denise Forshaw, who qualified in Liverpool in 1977, wrote to the BDJ earlier this year to share some artwork that she had created as a tribute to her daughters and her former colleagues still working in dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denise wrote: 'My sister and former dental partner, Rosin Dickinson, my two daughters Holly and Izzy Forshaw and a team of others continued to work at the surgery, Sandy Lane Dental Practice, Skelmersdale, which became an urgent dental care centre taking referrals during most of the early lockdown'.

The oil painting (Fig. 1) is of Denise's youngest daughter Izzy who is a Manchester dental graduate, fresh out of foundation training.

Fig. 1

Izzy Forshaw, Denise's youngest daughter

The pencil sketch (Fig. 2) is of her eldest daughter Holly who did her BDS in Manchester and qualified in 2009.

Fig. 2

Denise's daughter Holly Forshaw

Denise was one of six children. She was brought up on a farm and was the first of several dentists in the family including her youngest sister, her two daughters, her niece Madeleine Ball and her cousin's daughter. She says that she's really enjoyed her career and likes to think that she's been an inspiration to others to pursue a career in dentistry.

Denise continues to paint from her art studio at her home in the village of Croston in Lancashire. Before lockdown she met up weekly with an enthusiastic group of 'arty' friends to create and also has lessons with classically trained artist Chris McGloughlin at local craft studio Cedar Farm, where he holds oil painting classes.

Lots of changes have come about since the pandemic started but, according to Denise, everyone at the surgery has stepped up to the challenge and adapted. This oil painting of Abi Schofield (Fig. 3), one of the dental nurses at Sandy Lane, was done to reflect the new ways of working including surgery fallow time following aerosol generating procedures (now known as post AGP downtime).

Fig. 3

Abi Schofield, one of the dental nurses at Sandy Lane

Denise said that she felt it was time that the team at Sandy Lane Dental Practice and all UK dental personnel were thanked for their continued professionalism and care in these unprecedented times.

As Lancashire continues to be in the highest Tier 3 restrictions, Denise recently did an oil painting to display at the practice (Fig. 4). The bouquet of flowers was painted as a tribute to the team's unwavering commitment to the continued provision of dental care in the area.

Fig. 4

An oil painting of a bouquet of flowers painted as a tribute to Sandy Lane