Sidney Gordon Barrett

In the passing of Sidney Barrett in October the profession has lost a caring clinician of outstanding ability. At the time of his death he was president of The American Dental Society of Europe and had previously served as president of the British Society for the Society of Prosthetic Dentistry and the American Dental Society of London. He was the first president of the European Prosthodontic Association, a group in which he played a major part in its founding and subsequent success.

Sidney Barrett qualified in 1947 at the University of Leeds where he subsequently became a house surgeon. He served as a resident house surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital and later as a registrar of the Plastic Surgery and Jaw Centre in Stoke Mandeville.

From 1950 to 1951 he worked with Professor Hildebrand in Stockholm, returning with great respect for Swedish dentistry. His military service was carried out both in the UK and Singapore, and he subsequently became a registrar in prosthetic dentistry at The Eastman.

In 1955 the Iraqi government invited him to found a department of prosthetic dentistry in Baghdad. So successful was he that in 1957 he was appointed Director of the Dental School.

In 1962 when the time came to leave Iraq, Sidney made the brave decision to become an MSc student. Sidney's charm and skill rapidly established him an enviable reputation and he was invited to stay at Ohio State University as a teacher. His natural ability to unite people made him popular with staff and fellow students.

In 1964 he returned to London where he established a private prosthodontic practice and was appointed Consultant in Prosthetic Dentistry at University College Hospital.

Sidney taught by example, never by confrontation and slowly but surely raised the standards of those who did not share his ideals. 'He changed the course of my professional life,' was a frequent comment by his students. He was to become a most successful Chairman of the Division of University College Hospital.

Sidney travelled extensively and was popular wherever he went — he was a gifted performer on the classical guitar, a keen fly fisherman and a gourmet cook.

While outgoing and splendid company, Sidney was a very private person. At the International College of Prosthodontics meeting in Stockholm this summer he was his usual cheerful gregarious self. No one had the slightest inkling that he was so ill. Sidney took immense pride in his family, both as a father and later as a grandfather.

He is survived by his daughter, Solange, and sons Mark and Vincent, to whom we extend our deepest condolences.

H.W.P.

Roy Berry Pitts

Roy Berry Pitts died on October 13, 1999. He had been in failing health for some time, but his family and friends were shocked by his sudden death, from multiple problems and hospital acquired pneumonia.

Roy was born on September 1, 1928 in Snaresbrook, Essex. His father and a great uncle were in dental practice and Roy followed them into the profession. He obtained his first MB at Queen Mary College, University of London in 1946 and then went on to study at The London Hospital Medical College Dental School, where he qualified LDSRCS Eng in 1953. After working as a houseman at The London, he joined his father in practice and also worked part-time in the community dental service at Barking and Dagenham.

In 1956 he started his own practice in Harold Wood, Essex and for the next 23 years was a successful practitioner. Roy was an early member of the GDPA, served on its Council and was for some years its treasurer. In 1979 Roy sold his practice and moved to Dorset to join the community dental service, where he was a great favourite with the school children in the area. His life-long love of all types of motor vehicles added to his enjoyment of travelling the country lanes of the Purbeck Peninsular in various sizes of mobile dental clinics. In 1991 ill health brought early retirement to Perth in Scotland, where he and his wife Jennifer would be close to his son's family. Of his three children, two chose to follow their father into dentistry and both studied at The London. His son Nigel is now Dean of the Dental School at Dundee and his daughter Hilary is in general practice in Spain. His other son, Simon, pursues a successful career as an automotive engineer.

Roy was very fond of animals and in earlier years worked an a volunteer for the Peoples' Dispensary for Sick Animals. After his move to Scotland he became a supporter of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

He was a kind and gentle man, much loved by his patients. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. We extend our sympathy to Jennifer, Hilary, Nigel and Simon, and to other members of the family.

C.E.R