Well here we go. The start of a big day for Chris Charon, who retires after giving so much to
the practice in Newbury, since Jan 4th 1989. Taking us through the (then new
NHS contract) soon after buying the practice.
This was swiftly followed by
conversion to private practice and converting 20% to Denplan. She then shifted
those and more patients to BUPA DentalCover ( remember them?) and more new
systems. Through 3 rounds of accreditation (the 1st in Berks at the time).
Then Denplan bought BDC out and after telling Denplan that the patients were
not "theirs", we moved them away from capitation to Cigna about
1998/9-ish. offering a maintenance contract.
We installed SOE in 1998 and then met Chris Barrow at a Cigna taster evening. As a
fellow Mancunian, he struck all the right chords with Chris Charon and we signed the practice up for 3
years of Chris Barrow's Dental Business School which gave us all a huge boost.
Then Cigna pulled out, so she moved that same group of patients to Practice
Plan. In 2003 I began my RA courses and Chris has organised every one, ensuring
the days run smoothly in every respect.
Finally we went through the protracted
and at times agonising process of selling the practice from mid 2011 and for
the last year she has overseen the handover and smoothed the way with all the
patients, introducing more new systems for the new owner. Did I mention taking
us successfully through the mountain of red tape that is CQC a few months back?
Not forgetting training and mentoring so many dental nurses with 100% success
that I have lost count through all of this over the years. I haven't included the years of
work she did as a Dental Nurse and receptionist in the days of NHS practice for me and
others. The 10s of thousands of FP17s (remember those) that she completed. I'm
exhausted just remembering it all.
Thank you and bless you Chris from the
bottom of my heart for your sacrifice to the cause.
