Letter
C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 8 , Nº 5/6
Thank You for Everything, Dennis
D
ennis Shinbori, DDS, passed away Feb. 18, 2020, after a protracted and valiant battle with cholangiocarcinoma. With his passing, our profession lost a true leader. Our association lost a true icon. And as human beings, we lost a true friend. Few have touched their world as profoundly as Dennis touched ours. So, as a tribute, I would like to say thank you, Dennis. Thank you for the 43 years of teaching fixed and removable prosthetics at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. That’s one heck of a lot of students. Very few people — if any — attended UOP over those years without learning something from you, Dennis. Furthermore, thank you for all of the programs you designed for the UOP Alumni Association’s annual meetings. Dennis, it’s predictable that you received the Medallion of Honor from UOP as well as now having the Dennis D. Shinbori Endowed Lectureship named in your honor. Dennis, thank you for everything you did for the California Dental Association. In addition to serving on some other councils, you served for more than 20 years on the CDA Presents Board of Managers. You were chair at one time and were instrumental in programming speakers, designing new programs and running the Table Clinics in Anaheim. None who have served or are currently serving on the board have designed a program without consulting you. You have made
this essential nondues revenueproducing event into a huge success — perhaps the best in the nation. You have also mentored each and every one of us during that process. Not surprising, we now know the table clinics as the CDA Presents Dennis D. Shinbori Table Clinics. Dennis, thank you for all the time you spent working with the ADA in a similar capacity. You spent four years on the council of the ADA annual session, including the chairmanship. Additionally, you were the committee on local arrangements chair on three different occasions when ADA came to San Francisco — another six years of commitment. At a 2019 meeting with the ADA, you were referred to as the “Yoda” of dental meeting planning. I couldn’t agree more. Again, it’s not surprising that the ADA now features the Dennis D. Shinbori Acclaimed Educator Series at its yearly meeting. Finally, Dennis, — swallowing with difficulty here — thank you for your friendship. I am truly honored to be included as a friend. You taught by example, and I have learned much about all of the above from you. Perhaps more important, I learned that calm interaction beats flamboyance every time and that compassion, perseverance and understanding are the most important attributes we can seek and deliver as humans. Thanks, again Dennis — we miss you already. j i m va n s i c k l e n , d d s
Stockton, Calif.
M AY/JUNE 2 0 2 0 249
