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Sir Terence Ward CBE MBE (Mil) (1906-1991) and maxillofacial surgery at Queen Victoria Hospital

British Dental Journal volume 235, pages 977–982 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Terence Ward was a major maxillofacial surgeon in World War II, working with Sir Archibold McIndoe to treat badly injured forces personnel, especially air crew. He was important when the time came to establish his speciality in the post-war NHS. Sir Terence played an important role in the Royal College of Surgeons of England, where he was dean of its Faculty of Dental Surgery and raised a great deal of money for the Department of Dental Science.

Key points

  • Out of necessity, wartime produced outstanding maxillofacial surgeons.

  • Closely working with plastic surgeons, they produced amazing treatments for casualties who would otherwise have died.

  • Sir Terence Ward was much involved in these endeavours, as well as in dental politics, through the Faculty of Dental Surgery and the Ministry of Health.

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References

  1. Awty M. Obituary: Sir Terence Ward FRCS, FDS RCS, FFD RCSI. BMJ 1991; 303: 1263.

  2. Awty M. An appreciation of the late Sir Terence Ward. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1993; 31: 128-129.

  3. Wikipedia. RAF Hospital Cosford. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Hospital_Cosford (accessed January 2023).

  4. Bennett J P. A History of the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. Br J Plastic Surg 1988; 41: 422-440.

  5. UK Government. Report to the Army Council of the Advisory Standing Committee on Maxillo-Facial Injuries. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1935.

  6. Reynolds P. Personal communication. 24 January 2023.

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  8. Gelbier S. The Royal College of Surgeons of England, its Faculty of Dental Surgery and the origins of the Faculty of Dental Surgery. Br Dent J 2023; 234: 177-180.

  9. Sadler A. Interview of Mike Awty for the John McLean Archive. London: British Dental Association, 12 August 2014.

  10. Royal College of Surgeons of England. Plarr's Lives of the Fellows: Ward, Sir Terence George (1906-1991). 2015. Available at https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD _ASSET$002f0$002fSD_ASSET:380547/one?qu=%22rcs %3A+E008364%22&rt=false%7C%7C%7CIDENTIFIER %7C%7C%7CResource+Identifier (accessed November 2023).

  11. Sadler A. Interview with Sir Paul Bramley. In The Making of British Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Voices of Pioneers and Witnesses to its Evolution from Hospital Dentistry. p 323. Sorejaw, 2021.

  12. Banks P. Obituary: Terence Ward MBE FDS LRCP LRCS LRFPS LDS. Br Dent J 1992; 172: 258-259.

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Acknowledgements

Helen Nield, Head of BDA Library and Knowledge Services, kindly located much information. Andrew Sadler sourced useful contacts and information. Andy Brown gave many helpful comments on an early draft. Rachel Bairsto, Head of BDA Museum Services, provided the photographs for Figure 1, 4 and 5 from the BDA Museum Collection. Keith Ashley provided information and photographs for Figures 2 and 3. Geoff Forman, Pat Reynolds, Colin Hopper and John Langdon gave some thoughts and information. Bob Marchant, who was in charge of the mess bar for some years, kindly allowed access to his list of juniors working in the oral surgery department.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Honorary Professor and Head of the Unit for the History of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King´s College London, Guy´s Hospital, Tooley Street, London, SE1 1UL, United Kingdom

    Stanley Gelbier

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  1. Stanley Gelbier
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Correspondence to Stanley Gelbier.

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Gelbier, S. Sir Terence Ward CBE MBE (Mil) (1906-1991) and maxillofacial surgery at Queen Victoria Hospital. Br Dent J 235, 977–982 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-6567-1

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