Mike Dunn: If You Can Take it Out, We Can Make it

North Durham is very fortunate to have many services, which assist us in our daily lives. One such business, has a strong presence is the dental industry, which to my surprise, is made of many different facets.

I never gave much thought to any part of dentistry, other than my regular check-ups, but I recently met a denturist, who explained his side of a very interesting business. Mike Dunn has been a part of Dunn Denture Clinic all of his working life. His Port Perry Clinic is located on Scugog Street, right across from John Street.

Born in Oshawa, Mike’s father, also a denturist, opened his business in 1974, in Oshawa. He was very successful and the family enterprise grew. I asked Mike what services a denture clinic provides, and he smiled and said, “If you can take it out we can make it.” He confirmed this relates to anything to do with dentures and mouth guards.

I assumed Mike worked in the family business, while attending Paul Dwyer High School in Oshawa. He corrected me, and explained he worked for a landscaping firm as well as his parent's clinic. He beamed when he said his mother also worked there. “She was in charge of first impressions”. He meant she was the receptionist and office manager, but the title was also a pun for his industry.

Mike decided he wanted to be a denturist at an early age, and attended George Brown College. Sadly, while he was in his final year, his father passed away. This of course, caused a major dilemma and luckily, a friend of the family who was a dentist in Bowmanville, stepped in to assist with the practice until Mike graduated.

“It was a real whirlwind for me, and a lot to take on all at once,” Mike explained. I can only imagine how difficult that time in his life must have been; recently graduating, falling into a very busy business, and dealing with the passing of his father.