Newcastle Dental School and Hospital "An Illustrated History"
The Cove family's association with dentistry goes back to before the founding of Newcastle Dental School over a century ago. This involves 15 dentists spanning five generations beginning with:
Ernest William Cove (b.1859) was a publican in Jarrow. One of his tenants was employed by an American organization to canvas from door to door for patients with toothache. Anyone requiring treatment was subsequently visited by an "operator". The tenant suggested that Ernest should himself become a Canvasser. He agreed and travelled throughout the North of England by horse and trap, going as far afield as Bootle. After a while Ernest had a friend show him how to extract teeth and so he combined "canvassing" with "operating" on a self-employed basis. He later founded his own dental practice in Gateshead.
He and his wife had a family of 13 children of whom only two boys and one girl survived into adulthood, Henry Bertram, Edith Mary and Norman Harker. Henry worked with his father as a dentist (Dentists Act 1921). In time Henry’s two sons worked at the practice as dental 'mechanics' performing much of the technical work. Edith’s son, Ernest Albert Cove-Jones (1907-1986), qualified LDSRFPS Glasgow in 1938 and practiced all his career in Newcastle at Benton Four Lane Ends. His son, John Cove-Jones (1944-1973), studied dentistry at Edinburgh University where he qualified in 1967. He worked in England and South Africa before emigrating to Boston, USA where he completed a Master's degree in Periodontology before opening a practice in Vancouver.
Norman Harker Cove (1899-1985) studied dentistry at Newcastle in Handysides Arcade. He qualified LDSRCS (Eng) in 1927 and his family tell stories of how Norman travelled by coal- boat to London to sit the examinations. He was appointed to the staff of the Dental School in the 1920's. He also opened dental practices in both Wallsend and Gateshead where he worked until he emigrated to Abaco, one of the Out Islands of the Bahamas, in 1963. He kept working there until he was 85 years old - a year before he died. Norman and his wife had four children all of whom became dental surgeons.
Norman II (b. 1931) graduated from Newcastle in 1954 and following National Service in the RAF Dental Branch practiced for several years in Wallsend before emigrating to Nassau in the Bahamas. Two of his children have also graduated in dentistry. Sara (b. 1961) graduated from Tufts Dental School in 1994 after having first trained as a dental technician. She is now a general dental practitioner in Boston. Sandra (b. 1964) qualified from the same school in 1992 after first qualifying as a dental hygienist; she is also currently in general practice.
Peter (b. 1937) graduated BDS Durham in 1961 and pursued an academic career, gaining his FFDRCS Ireland and the FDSRCS England in 1967 and then qualifying in Medicine at Dublin in 1970. He worked as a Consultant Oral Surgeon in North Yorkshire, based at York District General Hospital. Peter’s son, Simon, graduated from Newcastle University in 2003 and now practices in Manchester.
Michael (b. 1938) graduated BDS Durham in 1962 and whilst a student, met and married Mair (LDS 1962) and together they practiced in Gateshead before emigrating to Canada in 1970. Michael worked in general practice in Oshawa, Ontario until 2016, and Mair taught operative dentistry to undergraduates at the University of Toronto until 2010.
Penny (b. 1942) qualified at Newcastle University in 1967. She originally worked in the Community Dental Service but spent the majority of her career in general practice as a partner in Shotley Bridge and acted as the President of the North of England Odontological Society.
Tony (b. 1961) graduated from Geology at Western University before attending Newcastle University to study dentistry where he qualified in 1992. His early career was in the Isle of Man before returning to Canada where he joined his father, Michael, at Cove Dentistry in Oshawa Ontario and remains practicing.
Callum (b. 1995) left a career with Toronto Fire Services to attend Newcastle University for dentistry, graduating in 2025. Callum now works as a dentist in England while challenging the Canadian Board Exams in an effort to return home to work with his father, Tony.
