Patrick Hunt died peacefully on 6 January 2009 at Nazareth House, Plymouth, after an all too short battle with a malignant brain tumour.

Born at Crowborough, East Sussex in November 1940 and educated at Midhurst Grammar School, he attended The Royal Dental Hospital, qualifying in 1963. He joined the Boutwood Practice in Chichester, practising there until 1970. He then moved to Plymouth, joining Mann and Partners, soon becoming a partner. An excellent clinician with a lively enquiring mind, Patrick practised his dentistry to the highest standards. An inspiration to all around him, he also worked hard at the 'nuts and bolts' of running a busy three-branch dental practice and embracing new ideas such as computerisation. He took a keen interest in orthodontics.

Patrick spent many happy summers with his family in his wife Katarina's native Sweden, also practising there in Government clinics and drawing on his experiences in the different dental system. Patrick sat on the LDC for a number of years and in 1981 was Chairman of the BDA Plymouth section. In 1987 he left the Plymouth practice and moved to Torpoint in Cornwall where he practised privately from the elegant eighteenth century Tor House, a truly unique setting. He and Katarina were very active in the community, their annual fete becoming a firm fixture. Patrick was a keen sailor, a member of the Royal Western Yacht Club, and latterly of the Torpoint Mosquito Sailing Club, competing regularly in the Laser Class. Patrick retired from practice in 2005, sold Tor House and purchased a beautiful old maison in Aquitaine, typically throwing himself into its restoration, and into the life of the village community.

He was a linguist, fluent in French and Swedish.

A kind and thoughtful man who put people first, Patrick will be remembered with great respect and affection by his many friends, colleagues and patients.

He is survived by Katarina and their children Joanna and Charles.

Terence Higgins, Martyn Ellyatt