The death of Richard Horner on 21 September 2012 provoked a wave of sadness in the dental world. He was the founder of the Scope Group and the man who initiated the concept of mouth cancer awareness within the dental profession.

Known well among the profession's key opinion formers, the dental media and the dental trade, there can be no dentist working today who has not in some way been touched by Richard's work, whether through articles and editorials in the media, client mailings or his work in the field of mouth cancer. For more than two decades, Richard represented many of the best known dental company names, offering a range of services, from brand development to media planning and editorial services. But his work was far from limited to a provision of services.

For four years he worked for Johnson & Johnson on their Listerine account and set up their National Advisory Panel. Under the chairmanship of Professor Nairn Wilson, this was a body of influential people who discussed research findings and shared knowledge, enabling and triggering new insights. The Scope Group was established in 1990. Before then he had worked in a marketing capacity for Dentsply for many years and acquired extensive understanding of the dental world.

Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation said: 'He made an invaluable contribution in assembling all the key stakeholders together to create the first Mouth Cancer Awareness Week. Nearly 15 years on it has now grown to be the UK's largest awareness raising event for Mouth Cancer, a condition about which Richard remained passionate throughout his later years.'

Stephen Hancocks, Editor-in-Chief of the BDJ, commented: 'Richard was that rarity in life nowadays, a gentleman who mixed courtesy, intelligence and modesty with a keen sense of the mutual benefit of sound business understanding, always with a relaxed background of the appreciation of good food, fine wine and hearty conversation.'

'His knowledge of the dental world was about as comprehensive as it is possible to acquire and this, together with his kindly bearing, authoritative air and telling twinkle in the eye will be hugely and sadly missed. Many of us will be lessened by his passing but are unquestionably the better for having known him.'