Atherton dental therapist Deanna Guilfoyle retires after 40 years

From “just a posting” to treating multi-generational families, this long-serving dental therapist has called time on an incredible 40-year career on the Tablelands.

An Atherton dental therapist has called time on an incredible four decades of service to the Tablelands during a career in which she looked after thousands of youngsters.

Long-serving Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services employee Deanna Guilfoyle is ready to start the next chapter of her life, after 40 years looking after multiple generations of families.

She retired on Thursday.

“Just last year, a grandmother came in with her grandchild and I discovered that I had treated the grandmother – which makes me feel very old,” Ms Guilfoyle said.

The 58-year-old, who is originally from Ingham, never imagined she would become a Tablelands local treating multi-generational families when she was first posted in the region as a trainee in her early twenties.

“I remember my mum drove me up here and first day arriving, I knew no-one,” Ms Guilfoyle said.

“My first day on the job I was at Ravenshoe State School and I remember that my first patient was a complex job. I was thrown in at the deep end.”

Atherton dental therapist Deanna Guilfoyle as a fresh graduate of the School Dental Therapists Training Centre in Townsville. Picture: Supplied

Within a year, she met her husband, an Atherton local, and the initial jitters at work settled quickly as she got into the rhythm of things, doing dental mobile clinics with her team in schools from Mount Garnet to Mount Molloy.

“Over the last 40 years most of the work has been in a caravan,” Ms Guilfoyle said.

“We move from school to school around the Tablelands and see children between the ages of 0-18 years. We make it fun as possible with rewards and things.”

According to Ms Guilfoyle, working with children is a psychological game that starts with gauging a child as they enter through the door.

“Our main job is to get people relaxed, parents as well,” Ms Guilfoyle said.

“When you have a child in a chair who is very apprehensive and you bring that child around, treat them and they accept treatment happily, you turn that corner with them – it is really rewarding.”

Atherton dental therapist Deanna Guilfoyle is retiring after forty years of service to the community. Picture: Supplied

Ms Guilfoyle fondly looks back on her illustrious career citing many laughs, as can be expected working with kids as they “say exactly what they think”.

One of the most memorable moments in her career was treating children in remote towns like Mount Garnet and Chillagoe.

“Families were always so friendly and grateful for the service we provided, because of the difficulty in accessing services,” Ms Guilfoyle said.

As her last shift of working 8am to 4pm, four days a week comes to an end, Ms Guilfoyle was grateful for the amazing people and friendships she had made along the way.

She hopes to travel more, do some volunteer work and spend time with her three grandkids while having a think on what the future holds.

Originally published as Atherton dental therapist Deanna Guilfoyle retires after 40 years