1953-2022

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John Radford, Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Director of Taught Postgraduate Studies at Cardiff Dental School, died suddenly and tragically on Sunday 20 November 2022, aged 69.

John grew up in Brighton and after training at Guy's Dental Hospital, University of London (BDS, 1976), undertook house jobs in periodontology, preventative dentistry and oral surgery at St Bartholomew's Hospital, then returned to Guy's as a Registrar in Conservative Dentistry. John was a meticulous dentist and skilful clinician.

He gained his PhD in 1987 for his thesis The influence on diet of dental plaque on the incisor teeth of monkeys (Macaca fascicurlars). Following lecturer positions at Bristol and UMDS, John gained a Senior Clinical Lectureship with Consultant Status in Dundee Dental School (1992) and promotion to Clinical Reader (2018). He gained a personal Chair in Cardiff University's School of Dentistry (2021), relocating to Wales. Within a very short time, John became a loved member of the team with his infectious energy and enthusiasm, and a good friend and mentor to many, embracing his job, his role as a leader, and his new Welsh home, joining Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

John's outstanding collaborative teaching, expertise, and empathic care of patients have left a mark on the hundreds of students he taught and patients he cared for. He was an inspirational motivator who rejoiced in his students' successes, possessing the empathy to remotivate and encourage after setbacks.

Being unafraid to embrace controversy and uncertainty, John's drive to develop the profession through thought and critical thinking was at the heart of his teaching. He inspired generations of dental professionals to not just accept what they read and heard, but to make their own judgements.

For over nine years, he edited the BDJ's 'Other journals in brief', synthesising and abstracting over 800 papers, giving them his unique spin. This helped make wider evidence/information on oral and dental health accessible for dentists, and made John one of the most well-read people in dentistry.

John was Honorary Tutor at the University of Ghana Dental School and served for ten years as a Fitness to Practise Panel Member for the GDC. In February 2023, he was posthumously awarded the Guy's, RDH, King's Medical and Dental and King's College London.

John was a great family man and leaves behind his wife Frances, his children Daisy and Tom and grandchildren, Lochlan and Adeline.

David R. Radford, Thomas H. Radford and Nicola Innes