Volume 6 • 2019 • Issue 8

46 | 2019 | Issue 8 O bituaries REMEMBERING DENTISTRY LEADERS DR. DENIS ROBERT Dr. Denis Robert of Quebec City, passed away on July 25, 2019, at the age of 65. With an academic career spanning more than 40 years at Laval University, Dr. Robert is considered a pioneer in dental studies in Quebec. He helped advance dentistry and improve the standards of the profession for many generations of students and dentists, by always promoting high-quality care with a rigorous ethical approach. Born in France, Dr. Robert graduated from Laval University’s faculty of dentistry in 1976, shortly after the faculty was created. He continued his studies at Boston University, where he obtained a Certificate in Operative Dentistry and an MSc specializing in operative dentistry and dental biomaterials. Over the course of his 40-year academic career at Laval, Dr. Robert held many roles, including program director, student clinics director, and most recently, vice-dean of undergraduate studies. As a professor of operative dentistry, Dr. Robert believed that the student–professor relationship was crucial for a student’s education—to him, teaching went beyond generational barriers. A motivational speaker of sorts, he often served as a mentor to young professors as they learned to engage with dental students. His focus was always to inspire dentists and professors so that they, like him, would help foster the next generation. “I’m especially grateful to have had the privilege to work alongside Dr. Robert for 20 years, first as his student and then his colleague”, says Dr. Cathia Bergeron, dean of the faculty of dentistry at Laval University. “Denis leaves behind an esteemed professional legacy, based on values of excellency, personal improvement, commitment and integrity. His legacy continues to grow and his work progresses, even after he has left us. He has tremendously advanced the profession he loved, he improved the standard of care to better serve his patients whom he respected so much, and he strengthened the professional ethics of those he taught,” says Dr. Bergeron. Dr. Robert was also involved in organized dentistry and was often invited to speak at national and international conferences. He was a member of the Ordre des dentistes du Québec (ODQ) and the National Dental Examining Board of Canada, and he chaired Les Journées dentaires internationales du Québec conference in 2014-15. In 2017, he received the Mérite du CIQ medal from the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec, in recognition of his contributions to the profession and the ODQ. Dr. Robert was known to be generous, witty, creative, funny, and always willing to lend a hand to the dental community. He was highly respected by his colleagues and students, as they recognized his qualities as a person and his great devotion towards dentistry. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Johanne Bordua, and daughter Marie-Françoise.