TRIBUTES have been paid to a pioneering dentist who transformed dental health services for schools with the help of a specially adapted caravan.

Philip Waterfall was school dental officer for Darlington for more than 30 years, responsible for the teeth and gums of thousands of children.

His commitment to helping as many children as possible saw him transform a caravan into a dental clinic in 1967 which moved around schools.

Following a long illness, Mr Waterfall, a father of three, grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of four, died on Friday at the age of 89.

His wife, Eve, with whom he would have celebrated 50 years of marriage in the New Year, paid tribute to her husband, describing him as a man “who loved everybody and was loved by everyone in return”.

Born in Duke Street, Darlington, in 1925, Mr Waterfall served in the RAF as a meteorologist and a navigator, where he was awarded the Burma Star, before studying medicine, eventually specialising in dentistry.

Although he started his career with a private practice in Stanhope Road he quickly joined the school dental service.

Under his watch, each school child in Darlington had their teeth checked once a year and were given follow up appointments at his clinic at the first sign of problems.

When parents complained about having to bring children to his clinic he designed a caravan fitted out with equipment to carry out check-ups and simple treatments, which meant they could be seen at school.

A report in The Northern Echo’s sister paper The Northern Despatch about the caravan after its first 12 months of service declared the idea “a great success”.

Mrs Waterfall said: “He was devoted to keeping children’s teeth healthy and now it [the school service] is all gone.

“He would get so upset at the reports in the news about how bad children’s teeth are today. He would say ‘If only they hadn’t closed the school service this wouldn’t have happened’.”

Asked to describe her husband, Mrs Waterfall said: “Philip was never up, he was never down – he was just always on a level. He was a lovely man.”

His funeral will take place on Friday (December 19) at 2pm at All Saints Church, in Ravendale Road, Darlington.

Family flowers only, donations can be made in lieu to Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice.