In memory of Dr Richard Hardham, ADA Federal President 1988-90

Dr Richard Hardham BDSc (Melb) LDS (Vic) DDS (Tor) FRACDS FICD FADI FPFA 
ADA Federal President 1988-90

Richard George Hardham graduated in 1950.  He wrote about his career in “A History of dentistry of those who graduated in 1950” for their 50th Anniversary. 

“It started with an adventure.  Late 1950 was not a good time to find dental employment in Melbourne.  So it was off to the Broken Hill Mines Dental Clinic, an 8 hour flight in a DC3 via Sydney.  The next 12 months was rewarding professionally, as I had two experienced mentors, both Adelaide graduates.  We did everything from facial fractures and oral surgery to prosthetics, orthodontics, children’s dentistry (pre fluoride) and gold inlays – remember blue wax?  As the resident of the best of the three mine manager’s “batches”, known as “The House of Lords”, the social life left little to be desired.  To escape this paradise, I sailed to the UK in the RMS Maloja.”

Over the next 5 years in the UK, he spent time at the Eastman Clinic and several practices and met and married Joan.  They returned to Melbourne and private practice in Brunswick before travelling in 1963 with two children to Toronto to study for his DDS.  On return to Melbourne, he established a practice in South Yarra, retiring in 2000.

Richard was drawn to the ADA by his interest in fluoridation and the Fluoridation Committee from 1965.  He was elected to Victorian Branch Council in 1971 and served on the Executive from 1971 including as President 1977-78.  He was elected to Federal Council in 1979 and progressed rapidly through the Federal Executive to be Federal President 1988-90.  During his ADA Inc service he was Chairman of Dental Health Services Committee 1980-82 and Inaugural Chairman of the Practice Promotion Committee, soon renamed the Dental Practice Committee 1986-88.  At the conclusion of his presidency, Dick, as he was known in ADA, was elected as an Honorary Life member of ADA Inc.  Among his honours, Dick was appointed Honorary Dental Surgeon to visiting dignitaries, including the Royal Family.

The University of Melbourne was another focus.  He contributed to undergraduate teaching as a clinical teacher and as convenor of practice management seminars for final year students. He also served on the Committee of Convocation, on the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and on the Advisory Board of the School of Dental Science.

Richard also served Foundations.  He was a Director of the Australian Dental Research Foundation and held various positions.  In recent years he and Joan became significant donors to the Australian Dental Health Foundation which coordinates pro bono dental care to Australian residents who fall through the cracks of our private and public oral health services. 

Outside of dentistry Richard was an active Rotarian, served as President of the Prahan Rotary Club and on many District Committees. He contributed 30 years’ service to numerous Rotary activities and had the honour of being a Paul Harris Fellow, awarded for services to Rotary International.  One of their projects started in 1998 with a dental survey along the Fly River in New Guinea and another involved several teams visiting and providing dental care in rural villages in Vietnam from 2002.  Sport also played an important part in his life, tennis in particular.  He was a member of the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Club.  His other interests were breeding beef cattle at his and Joan’s bolthole on the Mornington Peninsula.

Richard passed away on 10 July 2023, one day short of his 95th birthday.  He served dentistry and the community generously and with distinction. 

Vale.

Rick Olive AM RFD
One time member of Dick Hardham’s Federal Executive