Edgar Venning died peacefully in Howard House Nursing Home, Gerrards Cross on 10 June 2006, a month after his 95th birthday.

Born in Plymouth in 1911, he studied dentistry at Guy's Hospital and qualified in 1934. He was a house surgeon at Guy's, following which he did a three-month postgraduate course at the Northwestern University, Chicago.

In the RAF he led a squadron of mobile dental units through Europe.

He went into private practice in St John's Wood, London, and whilst there he met his future wife, Jean. When war was declared Edgar joined the RAF, and as a squadron leader he led a squadron of mobile dental units and a mobile laboratory through Europe. He was later mentioned in despatches.

After the war Edgar started a dental practice in Gerrards Cross, where he worked until his retirement in 1976. He was always a keen member of the BDA, his father Sydney having been President in 1936. His uncle Lotan was also BDA President in 1959.

He had many interests outside of dentistry, including scouting, amateur dramatics and caravanning.

He leaves his wife Jean (to whom he was married for 66 years) and children Peter, Elizabeth and Catherine, together with six grandchildren.

Peter followed his father into dentistry at Guy's, and is still in dental practice in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.