Sir, as we head into 2019, I wish to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the UK's longest-serving dental chair – the Dentbus 2000.

First introduced in 1959, this chair has served many a dental practice loyally for decades. Made of genuine, non-ethically sourced materials and absolutely no padding whatsoever, it has gained the reputation of ultimate longevity, albeit at the expense of comfort.

Patient complaints over the discomfort experienced while in the chair are not uncommon for many dental practices, but we all know that ensuring the patient is not comfortable when sitting, distracts them from less than ideal oral treatment, therefore saving on future tedious correspondence from the General Dental Council over spurious fitness to practise complaints.

The Dentbus 2000 was introduced at a time of change in the UK when dentists were, with the rest of the population, about to enter the swinging 60s.

In contrast to the happy times ahead, the chair stood for straight-forward, no nonsense, utilitarian practicality during a period of healthcare when patients were happy with a less supportive and take-it-or-leave-it approach to oral care.

I, for one, miss those times. Having been a practising dentist for almost six decades now, I treasure the Dentbus 2000 we use in our practice, along with the foot operated drill, underbite headgear, articulator and phantom head.

It is true that our patient list has been shrinking for some time now and that the majority of our remaining patients are in their advancing years, but I believe the old ways are the best and patients appreciate honest, no-frills, no comfort, care. The Dentbus 2000 is the embodiment of this and should be celebrated.

Note to readers

These letters have been created for the entertainment of readers in the spirit of seasonal good humour and, on the whole, are entirely fictional.