CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 1

46 | 2018 | Issue 1 O bituaries REMEMBERING DENTISTRY LEADERS Dr. Jean-Paul Lussier of Montreal passed away on December 5, 2017. He was 100 years old. Dentist, professor emeritus and former dean of the University of Montreal (UdeM) faculty of dental medicine, Dr. Lussier made enormous contributions to the dental profession in Canada. He devoted most of his career to teaching dentistry and is recognized by his peers for his pioneering role in dental education. Dr. Lussier was involved in the creation of the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry. At UdeM, he led the formation of the faculty of graduate studies and laid the foundation for a combined arts and science faculty. Dr. Lussier earned his DMD and Master of Science from UdeM in 1942 and 1952 respectively. He obtained a PhD from the University of California in 1959 and graduated from Harvard Business School in 1974. Dr. Lussier also held honorary PhDs from McGill University (1972) and Laval University (1995). Dr. Lussier began his career at UdeM as a professor in the physiology department of the faculty of medicine. He moved to the faculty of dental surgery, where he served as a professor, vice-dean and academic director. Later, he was named director of the department of preventive and community dentistry of the faculty of dental surgery and dean of the faculty of dental surgery. At UdeM, Dr. Lussier was involved in more than 50 academic committees, including serving as president of the committee of academic development in the 1970s, which allowed him to work on projects that helped shape the future of the university. “The UdeM faculty of dental medicine will forever have warm memories of Dr. Lussier—a visionary and profoundly committed dean,” says Renée Delaquis, interim dean of the UdeM faculty of dental medicine. “He will be remembered for his important contributions to the development of dental research centres and for his role in implementing the medical component of the undergraduate curriculum. His outstanding contributions to the field of dentistry extended well beyond the boundaries of UdeM campus,” she adds. “To many of his colleagues, Jean-Paul was respectfully and affectionately called ‘the dean of deans’.” During his 65-year career, Dr. Lussier published over 100 articles, reports and research papers on dental care, education and research, and served in leadership roles in many national and international organizations. This includes serving as president of the Académie dentaire du Québec, the dental research committee of National Research Council Canada, and the advisory committee of the Réseau thématique de recherche en santé buccodentaire of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, to name just a few. Dr. Lussier was a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and the Académie dentaire du Québec and an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Dentistry International. He also received many awards including the Award of Merit from the Québec Interprofessional Council and the Prix hommage from the Ordre des dentistes du Québec. Dr. Lussier was granted CDA Honorary Membership in 1991. In 2000, the Réseau de recherche en santé buccodentaire et osseuse (RSBO) created the Jean-Paul Lussier Award to acknowledge Dr. Lussier’s exceptional contribution to the development and improvement of oral health in Canada. This award is granted to one student who distinguishes themselves at national or international conferences. Dr. Lussier is survived by his seven children, Louis, Renée, Josée, Anne, Pierre, Hélène and André; his 13 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. a DR. JEAN-PAUL LUSSIER