Wayne Ottaway
A: Wayne it’s nice to meet you down here at the hockey fields. Can we start at the beginning. Where were you born?
W: Perth W.A.
A: When did you start playing hockey?
W: Like most kids in WA I played Aussie rules but I’m not exactly that tall so I realised better to play a game where the ball is on the ground. So, when I was about 12 or 13 I took up hockey. And fell in love with the game and have been playing ever since.
A: Eventually you studied dentistry.
W: When I went to university I played for the Uni of WA hockey club.
A: Why dentistry?
W: I was genetically missing a few teeth. So was my sister. So, we had a lot of dentistry done by a very good dentist and it was fascinating. I choose dentistry. My sister is a dental therapist.
A: After studying dentistry, you got a job in Launceston.
W: When a student I did a research project on adhesive bridges and presented the paper as a student at the dental conference in Brisbane in 1985. I met John Pickup, who is a strong hockey player, at a social function and casually talked to him and he said they were looking for a dentist and I said I was missing the last day of the conference to play in an inter-varsity hockey tournament. That was my job interview. Never been to Tassie. So, in 1986 I went to Tassie.
A: And then you found the closest hockey field.
W: Getting back to the University Hockey Club. There were 11 men’s and 9 women’s teams. It was very much a social club. I met my wife playing hockey there. My sister met her husband there. My brother-in-law met his wife there.
A: You have played hockey all the time you have been a dentist. What is the good thing about hockey?
W: Like any team sport. There is the fitness angle. The social interaction. You meet a different group of people. As a dentist it is a bit insular. You talk to your patients and I have great fun doing that and it’s good to get out in the community. Meet another group. You meet some wonderful people.
A: Tassie has just scored a goal.
W: One of my dental nurses I was coaching her in hockey. She was working in a coffee shop and she is now one of my best ever nurses.
A: When working as a dentist I would see people injured playing hockey. The ball is hard. You must have seen a few of them.
W: Indeed. When I am at hockey, I also have a suture kit as well. For emergency aid. Yes it can be traumatic but we insist on them wearing mouthguards.
A: At the moment we are watching the Australian Master’s Hockey Championships. Tassie is 3:0 up against W.A. in the over 50s.
W: It is the gold medal match.
A: We are both enjoying the hockey. It is a beautiful game. And one of the best players in the world plays down here.
W: Yes. Eddie.
A: You are in your own practice now. You said patients followed you.
W: Absolutely.
A: Why did the patients follow you?
W: Good question. From day one when I started in my new rooms, I had twenty patients a day. From the get-go.
A: I still want know why did they follow you?
W: I don’t know. I’ve got no idea.
A: Okay assume you have a new practice how would you attract patients?
W: I’ve never had to advertise ever. I don’t know. I think. You look after someone, you look after them well, you don’t rip them off, you explain what you are doing. I am very fortunate I have very loyal patents. I’ve been lucky.
A: They are loyal to you but I think you are loyal to them as well.
W: Yes. It is two-way. Some patients have emergencies. Some make it hard for you.
W: I think the loyalty of the patients is wonderful. I have closed books which is tricky.
W: Dynamic run down the mid field.
W: The hardest job in any practice is the receptionist trying to juggle the regular check-ups, the fillings and the emergencies.
A: The receptionist is the most important person in a practice.
W: Yes. I have been very fortunate my receptionist is absolutely brilliant. I’ve been lucky.
A: I don’t think it is luck. You tend to get what you deserve. The match has finished and can we say Tasmania has won. Not because of luck.
W: They won 3:1 thanks to the home ground support.
W: Perth W.A.
A: When did you start playing hockey?
W: Like most kids in WA I played Aussie rules but I’m not exactly that tall so I realised better to play a game where the ball is on the ground. So, when I was about 12 or 13 I took up hockey. And fell in love with the game and have been playing ever since.
A: Eventually you studied dentistry.
W: When I went to university I played for the Uni of WA hockey club.
A: Why dentistry?
W: I was genetically missing a few teeth. So was my sister. So, we had a lot of dentistry done by a very good dentist and it was fascinating. I choose dentistry. My sister is a dental therapist.
A: After studying dentistry, you got a job in Launceston.
W: When a student I did a research project on adhesive bridges and presented the paper as a student at the dental conference in Brisbane in 1985. I met John Pickup, who is a strong hockey player, at a social function and casually talked to him and he said they were looking for a dentist and I said I was missing the last day of the conference to play in an inter-varsity hockey tournament. That was my job interview. Never been to Tassie. So, in 1986 I went to Tassie.
A: And then you found the closest hockey field.
W: Getting back to the University Hockey Club. There were 11 men’s and 9 women’s teams. It was very much a social club. I met my wife playing hockey there. My sister met her husband there. My brother-in-law met his wife there.
A: You have played hockey all the time you have been a dentist. What is the good thing about hockey?
W: Like any team sport. There is the fitness angle. The social interaction. You meet a different group of people. As a dentist it is a bit insular. You talk to your patients and I have great fun doing that and it’s good to get out in the community. Meet another group. You meet some wonderful people.
A: Tassie has just scored a goal.
W: One of my dental nurses I was coaching her in hockey. She was working in a coffee shop and she is now one of my best ever nurses.
A: When working as a dentist I would see people injured playing hockey. The ball is hard. You must have seen a few of them.
W: Indeed. When I am at hockey, I also have a suture kit as well. For emergency aid. Yes it can be traumatic but we insist on them wearing mouthguards.
A: At the moment we are watching the Australian Master’s Hockey Championships. Tassie is 3:0 up against W.A. in the over 50s.
W: It is the gold medal match.
A: We are both enjoying the hockey. It is a beautiful game. And one of the best players in the world plays down here.
W: Yes. Eddie.
A: You are in your own practice now. You said patients followed you.
W: Absolutely.
A: Why did the patients follow you?
W: Good question. From day one when I started in my new rooms, I had twenty patients a day. From the get-go.
A: I still want know why did they follow you?
W: I don’t know. I’ve got no idea.
A: Okay assume you have a new practice how would you attract patients?
W: I’ve never had to advertise ever. I don’t know. I think. You look after someone, you look after them well, you don’t rip them off, you explain what you are doing. I am very fortunate I have very loyal patents. I’ve been lucky.
A: They are loyal to you but I think you are loyal to them as well.
W: Yes. It is two-way. Some patients have emergencies. Some make it hard for you.
W: I think the loyalty of the patients is wonderful. I have closed books which is tricky.
W: Dynamic run down the mid field.
W: The hardest job in any practice is the receptionist trying to juggle the regular check-ups, the fillings and the emergencies.
A: The receptionist is the most important person in a practice.
W: Yes. I have been very fortunate my receptionist is absolutely brilliant. I’ve been lucky.
A: I don’t think it is luck. You tend to get what you deserve. The match has finished and can we say Tasmania has won. Not because of luck.
W: They won 3:1 thanks to the home ground support.