Robert (Bob) Nairn died of a fatal stroke at the age of 78. Although restricted in mobility in the last few years he maintained an active and enthusiastic zest for life to his last day.

Born in Adelaide he excelled academically and qualified as a dentist in 1952. Almost immediately he set sail and arrived in the UK to the celebrations for the Queen's coronation in 1953. He furthered his career at the Eastman Dental Hospital where he studied oral surgery and followed this with a Masters degree in prosthetics at Ohio State University under the great Carl Boucher. On his return he worked at Guy's Hospital Dental School with Derek Neill before taking up an appointment at the Royal Dental Hospital where he became head of the prosthetics department. Following the Royal's amalgamation and move to Guy's in 1985, he instigated and ran a successful Masters programme there in prosthetics.

His collaboration with Derek Neill produced the definitive work Complete denture prosthetics used by generations of dental students. For many years he edited the Journal of Dentistry and was an international authority on kinesiography, jaw relationships, occlusion and removable prosthodontics, especially complete dentures. He was an active member and a former president of the BSSPD, a founder member of the European Prosthodontic Association and a member of the American Dental Society of London. He was an exacting and thorough clinician with high expectations of his staff and students, balanced with an extremely entertaining personality, some may say outrageous, often involving himself in the more esoteric delights of student life at the RDH. There is no doubt that his teaching of removable prosthodontics has improved the quality of life for many people and is his lasting legacy.

Continually in search of the perfect cottage Bob retired to the New Forest in 1995 and from there continued his second great passion of sailing. He was a true polymath with a deep understanding of music, politics, philosophy and the arts, writing a blog and often having letters published in the newspapers. He cared dearly and whilst not tolerating fools and the earnest he was very generous to his wide circle of friends. He leaves behind his partner of nearly 30 years and a gap in the lives of many.