History

Throughout decades, the Marshall family has demonstrated a common trait: their motivation to care for people. Providing quality, patient-focused treatment is a family attribute – it’s continued through 93 years!

Putting Down Roots

After graduating from the North Pacific School of Dentistry in 1923, Leslie F. Marshall opened his own practice on West Broadway in Vancouver. Soon expanding this office to accommodate its growth, he provided encouragement while sons Jim and Don finished their degrees. The three would eventually practice together until 1957.

Les’s poor health forced him to retire in the spring of 1971. He died that fall fondly remembered by his many grateful patients, confreres, friends and family. One patient reminisced about Les’s congeniality: at 4 PM, work at the office would often stop and Les would invite you for “tea time” in his office.

Following Great Footsteps

Like their father, Les’ sons practiced dentistry nearly all their lives. After completing a graduate degree in Endodontics, Jim taught and practiced this specialty, eventually named head of the Oral Health Sciences department of the Oregon Health & Science University (Portland, Oregon). Don developed his own practice and soon began planning to have his son, Bruce, join him as a Vancouver family dentist.

Bruce graduated from UBC’s School of Dentistry in 1992, and soon began working with Don as an associate. He bought the practice from Don in 1996 and roles reversed: Don became an associate working for Bruce. This partnership was a magical one, each learning from the other until Don retired at age 75 (after 52 years of practice!).

Growing for the Future

Bruce formed The Marshall Clinic to continue his family’s history of providing quality, patient-centered care. In 2015, after working with multiple associate dentists, Bruce met Matthew. Working with Bruce as an associate dentist, Matthew found a lifelong mentor, both clinically and personally. In turn, Bruce saw in Matthew the familiar spirit of a gentle, caring young dentist. In January 2018, with mutual enthusiasm, a partnership was formed in the spirit of carrying on and growing the Marshall Clinic’s tradition of exceptional patient-centered care.

Historical Side-Note

Les’ wife Bertha Marshall (née Robertha Josephine Watt) was a survivor of the Titanic crash. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, she was 12 when she boarded the Titanic with her mother. They were 2nd-class passengers en-route to joining Bertha’s father in Oregon. Bertha wrote about that night for her school newspaper, but didn’t like to talk about the tragedy.

The First Marshall Office

Shortly after opening his dental practice, Les Marshall built a five-room office on West Broadway. It was enlarged in 1946 to include four operatories and a lab. By 1969, Les and fellow Vancouver family dentist Dr. Bob Munn had moved into a state-of-the-art facility, but remembered their first office fondly.