CDA
at
W
ork
The allureof theCanadianNorth
ItwasaCanadianconnection that sparked the inspiration tomovehis
careeroverseas. ACanadian friendhadaconversationwithDr.Nicoll about
hisworkat anoutreachclinic inFrobisherBay (as Iqaluitwas thenknown).
His friendwas leaving thenextday, anticipatinga travel timeof 6hours.Dr.
Nicoll remembers thinking “That’s interesting, you’regoing todrive for 6
hours togo toanoutreachclinic? In theUK, that’s incomprehensible—you’d
be inadifferent country! Andhe said, ‘No, I’m
flying
for 6hours.’ And this
gavemean incredible senseof adventure.”
Drawn to the ideaofworking ina remoteenvironmentand treatingapatient
groupwith tremendousneeds,Dr.Nicollbegan looking fordentistrypositions
in theNorthwestTerritories.He foundanopportunity inYellowknifeand, like
otherUK-traineddentistshewouldmeet there,practisedaspartofa tight-
knitdental community.Healso ranone-weekoutreachclinics inFirstNations
communities in theMackenzieValleyand,becauseofhishospital experience
in theUK,didsomesurgery listsat the localhospital.His time in theNorth
alsomarked thestartofhis involvement inorganizeddentistry, assecretary/
treasurerwith theNWTDentalAssociation.
Settingup shop
After 3years inYellowknifeDr.Nicoll andhiswifeMarilyn,whomhemet
whileworking there, decided itwas time to look for somethingnew. A
colleagueofferedhimapart-timeassociatepositionathispractice in
Elkford, BritishColumbia, a remotemountaincommunitycreated in the
1970s toprovideahome forminersdrawn to the re-emergingcoal industry
inBC’sEastKootenayRegion.Dr.Nicoll accepted, hopeful that thepractice
couldbedeveloped intoa full-timeposition. Veryquickly itdid, andwithina
coupleof yearshebought thepractice.
Even thoughDr.Nicoll and familymoved toFernie, BC, a fewyearsago, he still
practicesas the soledentist inElkford, providinga full rangeofdental services to
the town’s roughly3000 residents. “You’re forced to learnhow todo thingswell,
where inabigcityyoumight endup sendingpeople toa specialist,”Dr.Nicoll
says. “But inElkford, access to specialists isdifficult; patients tend to resist it.”
Healsoworksat theElkValleyHospital inFernie,whereheoperatesacoupleof
timesamonth. “Mostdentistsareno longer able todo that,”Dr.Nicoll saysof
his roleon thehospitalmedical staff. “It keepsme inclosecontactwithmedical
colleagues.”
Growing influence
His involvement inorganizeddentistrycontinuedona steady trajectorywith the
move toElkford.Hebecame involved inhis local dental society, theKootenay
Dental Society,wherehe servedas secretary/treasurerand thenpresident.Within
acoupleof years, hewas recruited tobecomea representativeof theKootenay
Dental Societyon theCouncil of theCollegeofDental SurgeonsofBritish
Columbia.Hewas thereatacritical time,when theCouncilwascontemplating
shedding itsmember servicedivisionandcreating theBritishColumbiaDental
BritishColumbiaPhotographs: BrandCanadaLibrary
Professional
Milestones
1984:DentaldegreefromUniversityofBristol
1988–89:Treasurer,NWTDentalAssociation
1991–96:Chair,BoardofDirectors,Elkford
DiagnosticandTreatmentCentre
1993:Secretary/Treasurer,KootenayDentalSociety
1994–95:President,KootenayDentalSociety
1999–2000:CouncilMember,CollegeofDental
SurgeonsofBritishColumbia
2002:BoardMember,BritishColumbiaDental
Association(BCDA)
2007–08:President,BCDA
2009:ElectedtotheCDABoardofDirectors
2010:RecipientofBCDAPresident’sAward
