John Cook died on 16 February 2006, aged 80. Born in Wallsend on Tyne, he was educated at Dunstan Infants, Dame Allan's School Newcastle and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Hexham. A bright pupil, he enjoyed school and did well academically.

In 1943 John was accepted into the University of Durham's Sutherland Dental School, where he went straight into second year. He represented the school at several inter-dental activities. Out of school he played full back for Tynedale Rugby Club and was a member of Hexham Home Guard.

Qualifying in 1948, John was appointed as a House Surgeon gaining experience in several aspects of the profession. In 1949 he joined the Royal Army Dental Corps to do his National Service and after basic training at Aldershot and a short period at Tonfanau in Wales, he spent the rest of his two year commitment in Austria.

Returning to England it was in general practice in Wellingborough that John felt increasingly drawn to orthodontics. He became a School Dental Officer at Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, for two years until a Registrar post became available at the Newcastle Dental Hospital in 1953. In 1955 he was appointed Senior Registrar in Orthodontics at the same hospital.

In 1958 he took up the post of Consultant Orthodontist at Middlesbrough, a post he was to hold with great distinction until he retired in 1988.

As a consultant John's clinics were packed and very efficiently organised. He treated many thousands of patients to a superb standard using all the appliance types available in his chosen specialty. He became especially adept at the Begg Technique until it was superseded by the Straight Wire Technique with which he was impressed and immensely competent.

In addition to the heavy clinical workload John was very much involved in hospital committee work at district, regional and national levels, and in international orthodontic activities, usually in a leading role. He had an interest in academic dentistry and also in the training of future specialists. He sat on numerous committees in his lifetime, but it was as Editor of the Transactions of the European Orthodontic Society from 1968-1978 that I believe John made his greatest contribution to international orthodontics. From 1979-1985 he was Editor of the European Orthodontic Journal.

John was an extremely active member of the BDA as well: Chairman of the North Yorkshire section, President of the Northern Counties Branch, President of the Hospitals Group, a Member of the Representative Board and the Committee of Management of the Benevolent Fund. In 1986 his enormous contribution was recognised by the BDA when he was elected a life member.

In 1988 John retired from the Hospital Service he had served so well and was able to spend more time with his family and friends. He studied Latin and in 1997 was awarded a degree from the Open University, reading mainly History and Architecture. Even in retirement he kept his hands busy, working at the lathe to the great satisfaction of those who were fortunate enough see his work, or with watercolours, but typically he remained very modest about the high standard he achieved.

John's health deteriorated in the last few months of his life due to a blood dyscrasia and he died two days after admission to hospital.

He was a quiet, courteous, charming, gentle man in every way.

John made a great contribution to his chosen profession and to the quality of life of the many patients he treated so meticulously and with such kindness and courtesy. Those who knew John all speak of his gentle sense of humour. He was a quiet, courteous, charming, gentle man in every way. We are saddened by our loss and wish to convey our condolences to his wife Inez and their family.