John Albert PEDLER

JOHN ALBERT PEDLER

B.D.S. (U. Lond.), L.R. C.P. (Lond.), M.R. C.S. (Eng.), M.D.S. (U. Lond.), F.D.S.R. C.S. (Eng.), F.R. C.D. (C.), Oral Pathology R. C.D.S. (On.)
December 30, 1920 - February 2, 2018
Peacefully, in his 98th year at Sunnybrook Hospital.
John began his medical training in 1937 at age 16 and remained totally dedicated to his profession throughout his distinguished career. At the age of 21, following his graduation from the University of London in 1941, he was appointed house surgeon at the London Hospital. From 1942-1947 he was on war service with the R.A.F. by which time he passed all exams for his degree in dentistry and his pre-clinical for his medical degree. Upon discharge he returned to medical school to complete the clinical years. In the R.A.F., he was a dental officer and was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. From 1950, he was senior registrar, London Hospital Dental School and since 1951 senior lecturer in Dental Pathology at the London Hospital Medical College.
In 1961, John moved his family to Toronto to take up his new appointment as Professor of Oral Medicine and Pathology and Head of the Department of Oral Diagnosis in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto. He was also Dental-Surgeon-in-Chief at Toronto General Hospital where he was described as 'the architect of hospital dentistry in Toronto and at Toronto General Hospital in particular.'
Working with the department of cardiac surgery and cardiology he arranged for all surgery patients to be referred for dental examinations to identify incidence of bacteria and gingivitis which could enter the blood stream and consequently the heart, causing fatalities. With this screening he successfully reduced deaths, due to these infections, to zero.
In his private practice he generously gave free services to the financially insecure and also provided unique and necessary procedures to patients with hemophilia, many of whom attended his retirement dinner in 1986.
John leaves behind his son, Trevor (Shelagh); and daughter, Carole; his four grandchildren, Shauna (Rob), Jessica, Michael and Christine; and two great-grandchildren, Luke and James. He was predeceased by his wife, Joan (nee Steedman); his eldest daughter, Trisha; and his twin sisters, Joyce and Audrey. Cremation has taken place with interment beside his wife, Joan. A private memorial service will take place at a later date.