Thomas Donald (Don) Foster was born in 1926 in the Hockley area of Birmingham. He died after a long illness, courageously borne, on 4 January 2009.

Don went to Handsworth Grammar School but his education was interrupted by the outbreak of war and he was evacuated to the seaside village of Instow, North Devon. He left school at the age of 15 with the School Certificate. He sought an apprenticeship and by chance was sent for interview at the Department of Dental Engineering at the Birmingham Medical School, where he trained for four years to become a dental technician. He was then called up for national service in the RAF where he worked as a dental mechanic.

After demobilisation he applied and was admitted to the School of Dentistry at Birmingham University, graduating in 1953. Here he met his wife-to-be Vera, allegedly over a cadaver in the dissecting room, an inauspicious start to a happy and fulfilled marriage.

As a student he had become interested in oral surgery and his first job after qualification was as House Surgeon. He then moved to Stoke Mandeville, where he remained for five years, during which time he passed the Fellowship and postgraduate orthodontic examinations. In 1959 he was recruited to join a growing staff at the School of Dentistry in Birmingham, initially as a Lecturer.

Don began to use transatlantic orthodontic techniques, long before they gained popular usage. Throughout the sixties and seventies he continually developed the Department of Children's Dentistry and Orthodontics in Birmingham. He was promoted successively to Senior Lecturer, Professor and Director of Dental Studies. His Textbook of orthodontics was a respected undergraduate textbook.

Don was always the same, whatever the time, person or place. Don treated everyone in a similar quiet, considerate way. I cannot recall him once speaking unkindly about anyone and conversely I cannot recall anyone saying bad things about him.

Don leaves his devoted wife Vera, children Michael, Martin and Susan; their wives and husband and seven grandchildren. He will be remembered with gratitude by his family, by all who worked with him, were taught by him, or were treated by him.