It is with deep sadness that we report the recent death of Dr. Viv Rushton who, until her retirement in 2013, was Reader and Honorary Consultant in Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology at the University of Manchester. She served a term as Secretary of BSDMFR in the early 2000s and was a familiar figure at Society meetings.

Vivian Eckersley Harris was born in Tyldesley, Lancashire in 1949. A talented and intelligent girl, she earned a place at the prestigious Bolton School, where she not only excelled academically but also in sports, captaining the lacrosse team. Successful A-level results in 1967 led to her admission to Birmingham University as a new dental  student. Amongst her classmates was a young man called Michael (Mike) Rushton, her future husband-to-be. He charmed her (eventually), assisted by the glamour of his classic open-topped MG sports car. Graduation for both of them in 1972 was followed by their marriage the following year.

Mike and Viv set up a dental practice in Northwich, Cheshire, with Viv also working for a while in the Community Dental Service in Salford. They eventually set up home in a beautiful old Cheshire farmhouse in the charming village of Little Budworth, a location close to Oulton Park racing circuit, perfect for Mike’s passion for motor cars. Two children followed: Nicholas and Samantha.  

As the children grew older and she recovered some “me-time”, Viv began to look for a new challenge. In early 1988, by pure coincidence, an advert appeared in the BDJ for a “Temporary Part-time Lecturer in Dental Radiology”, to undertake undergraduate teaching at Manchester Dental School, filling a hiatus between John Hutton’s departure to take up the Consultant post in Liverpool and the appointment of a new Senior Lecturer/ Honorary Consultant position in Manchester. Despite the prospect of a 40 mile commute from deepest Cheshire, Viv applied and got the job.

In later years, Viv would say that she actually applied for a part-time temporary cleaner’s post and was waiting for the truth to be discovered by the University.  In reality, her strong work ethic and her enthusiasm led to an ascent into serious academic life. First, quietly and without anyone noticing, the “Temporary” prefix to her job was magically erased from her records by her Head of Department, Prof. Harold Jones. This was followed by her job incrementally growing into a full-time post, justified by her impressive creation of a top-class course in radiological interpretation for undergraduate students, along with her efforts to develop her research. In a moment of “chutzpah” in 1992, Viv telephoned the Chief Dental Officer one day and pitched a research project to him on quality assurance in dental practice. Amazingly, the CDO loved the idea and asked for more details and how much it would cost. Thus, Viv got her first research grant and the rest is history, as they say.

In the following years, Viv was to publish over 50 research publications. She contributed to three textbooks and the development of National and European guideline documents; she obtained her PhD and, much to her satisfaction, supervised Mike’s PhD. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer after obtaining her doctorate and to Reader shortly before her retirement. A paper for which she was senior author was awarded the Wuerhmann prize for excellence in publishing by the Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology journal in 2004. In parallel with her academic work, she undertook training in DMFR. Her indomitable spirit drove her enthusiastically through Specialty training, with side interests in sialography, dacrocystography and CT imaging of the paranasal sinuses, much to the delight of the very few head and neck radiologists in the Manchester Royal Infirmary at the time.  She served a term as President of the Odontology Section of Manchester Medical Society, an indication of the esteem in which she was held by her colleagues.

Viv was always approachable and quick to share her expertise with junior colleagues and students.  She meticulously created an archive of learning resources, which is not only still in use in Manchester today, but also in other Dental Schools in the UK with which she readily collaborated.  Collegiate spirit, an often undervalued quality, was important to Viv.  Legions of dental alumni, Manchester and beyond, will be applying the knowledge and skills she imparted to them in their practice today. She also undertook countless continuing education courses for GDPs, evangelising for evidence-based use of dental radiography, with a particular passion for opposing screening using panoramic radiography.

Outside academic and clinical life, Viv loved her garden, opera and Italy, passions shared with her husband. Skiing and walking in the mountains of North Wales became less practicable as Mike’s knees started to complain, but they continued to enjoy cycling around the lanes of rural Cheshire. Tragically, she lost Mike to cancer in 2016, cutting short their retirement together. Soon afterwards, she had to face her own health challenge. 

Despite her “super-woman” achievements, elegance and film star good looks, Viv remained down to earth, kind, warm and fun loving, although she could be feisty and forthright at times (for all the right reasons!).  She was one of a kind and left an indelible mark on those of us that were fortunate enough to know her.  She has been and will continue to be deeply missed.

Viv is survived by her son Nicholas and daughter Samantha, who are in our thoughts as they grieve the loss of their wonderful mother.