Dr. John Mitakides

1948 - 2023

Mitakides, Dr. John Edward

On October 18, 2023 John Edward Mitakides, DDS, DAACP, passed away peacefully in the arms of his wife of nearly 42 years. He leaves an adoring family, and a legacy of devotion to his family, of service to his patients, and as an example of a life well-lived. John was born on May 19, 1948 in Dayton, Ohio, where he and his wife Jane were married on June 5, 1982. They are the parents of Katherine Wynn Mitakides (Katie) and Andrew John Mitakides, and the grandparents of Hutt and Louella Moody. John was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew Edward Mitakides and Chrisoula Apostolos. A proud graduate of The Ohio State University and the OSU College of Dentistry, John was equally proud of his brief time playing football there – and of the association he maintained with Coach Woody Hayes. His third date with Jane was a dinner with Coach Hayes… John certainly knew how to impress an Ohio girl. John's talents were many and diverse, but his greatest attribute was being a decent, dedicated, caring person. He participated in the lives of his children in every good way – as a coach, a mentor, and a guide. He was devoted to his wife, and together they shared almost a half-century of adventures from the Baja desert to Buckingham Palace. No description of John would be complete without a mention of his sense of humor – wry, witty, sometimes a bit risqué, sometimes off-the-wall, but always warm and kind. John was a father figure to many, and beloved by his "Cotillion family," with whom the Mitakides family has spent Thanksgiving for the last 25 years. John loved being part of this organization which supports the Children's National Medical Center, and in recent years supporting Jane in her role as president of the Foundation Board. Dr. Mitakides dedicated his career to improving the lives of individuals with craniofacial pain disorders and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In the words of the EDS Society, "he was a beacon of hope for countless patients. Dr. Mitakides' work not only impacted the lives of those living with EDS and HSD but also inspired a new generation of medical professionals." Dr. Mitakides was a member of the Professional Advisory Network of the international Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation, the only dentist to be so recognized. In 2021, he was Presented with The Ehlers-Danlos Society's Lifetime Achievement Award. He was a Diplomate of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, the highest level of achievement awarded by AACP, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine. He was honored in 2021 by the AACP with the Charles R. Holt Humanitarian Service Award for his work in bringing about change and furthering education. His lectures and seminars were most often "standing room only," nationally and internationally. He was widely published, including in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. It speaks volumes about the kind of man he was that the young girl who was his dental assistant on his very first day in practice was still at his side on his very last day, 47 years later. Cheryl Smith and her sister Julie, who worked with John 45 years, were part of a team most of whom were with him over 20 years. He was, quite simply, one of a kind. It was John's wish that friends, patients, and family join in a celebration of his life on November 11, from 2 until 4:30 PM at Moraine Country Club in Dayton. Sharing and caring until the very end, it was John's wish that those inclined would consider supporting one of the organizations that meant so much to him: The National Debutante Cotillion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) supporting humanitarian works and organizations, including the Children's National Medical Center of Washington, D.C., at https://nationaldebutantecotillion.org/donate; or The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.