The practice opened for business on Saturday 5th May 1951 by Dr James W. Lindsay who was in the second group of students to graduate from Sydney University dentistry after the war -it is 65 years young. There were some 350 graduates in 1951. Jim leased premises at the current location (there was no arcade and the building was stand alone with a grassy paddock next door) where the Fitness First gym now operates, Pennant Hills road was a dirt road with 2 lanes. In the same week another dentist from Jim’s year opened in Pennant hills.

Jim would walk to the station at Normanhurst, catch a train to Pennant Hills and wait for a patient to arrive – there were many days with no patients. In his first few months he could wait until 8.30 pm to see a one patient for the day -then he would catch a train and walk home. Jim worked 6 days a week, from 8am to 9pm and opened all Saturday mornings. Within 4 months he had built a following such that he employed a nurse / receptionist Rita White who was his assistant for more than 20 years. The arcade was built in the 1960’s and the building Jim was in became part of the current strata which he eventually purchased in the 1970’s.

The original surgery set up in 1951 was the front surgery room and the current waiting room. Jim recalls leaning out the window and having a chat to the retailers across the road -shoe shop, pharmacy etc. The Fitness First gym building was originally built for the first Woolworths in NSW and business boomed and Jim took 18mths off and took the family to the UK and Europe for 18 mths – the practice suffered (Jim never had any regrets -nor did his children) somewhat due to a crooked locum and a fire on his return which burnt down the Woolworths building and they moved to Hornsby. In 1978 Dr Roger Lindsay graduated also from Sydney University and took a Naval scholarship for 8 years – finishing as a LCDR having developed his dental skills and represented Navy in Interservice sport in downhill and cross country skiing, cricket, tennis and rugby. He coached and played first grade rugby in Melbourne having represented and captained rugby at his school Barker College, NSW Schoolboys and Gordon Rugby club as a student back in Sydney. Dr Lindsay started work at Pennant Hills Dental Centre in 1985 moonlighting in the Navy as the dental technician for Dr L senior and working Saturday mornings where possible. He purchased the practice in September 1986 30 years ago. Over the years the practice has been blessed with very loyal and competent staff and practice managers and this remains today. Dr Lindsay continued the legacy of Dr Lindsay senior at the Anglican Retirement Villages and his interest in our senior citizens remains to this day.

In 2016 Dr Lindsay was attending a dental conference on the ski slopes of Utah. It is here he met Dr Oliver Cvekus and Dr Tirza Harley, and almost immediately developed a fond friendship. To this day Roger, Oliver and Tirza work together at Pennant Hills Dental Centre continuing the legacy and caring for generations of patients who attend the clinic.