Dr. Benjamin Pavone

Dr. Benjamin Pavone

1916-2014

Dr. Ben W. Pavone, retired Dean and Professor of the University of California, School of Dentistry, San Francisco, died on January 2, 2014.

Ben is survived by two step-children, Jodi Collins and Gary Dew, four grandchildren, Brent, Shellie, Karie and Dena; and nine great grandchildren.  He was predeceased by two children, Jean Wright and Gary Pavone; and his wife, Frances Pavone.

Ben was a member of the University of California School of Dentistry faculty for 43 years.  He graduated from U.C. Berkeley and U.C. San Francisco and received 4 degrees from those institutions, A.B., B.S., M.A. and D.D.S.  He served as Associate Dean of the School of Dentistry from 1955-1965 and as Dean from 1965-1980.

He and his late wife, Frances, lived in the retirement community of Rossmoor in Walnut Creek.  Ben enjoyed his retirement by spending more time with his family, playing golf and other sports and particularly in activities he had little time to pursue while employed.

He was a dentist in the U.S. Navy during WW II and the Korean War.  He also practiced dentistry in Berkeley for 41 years, from 1946-1986.

Ben's teaching activities, as well as his private dental practice, were in the specialties of restorative dentistry.  He presented over 450 lectures and courses to dentists and dental organizations in the U.S. and abroad; and also maintained a regular schedule of teaching dental students for 30 years.  He held more than 50 positions in professional societies and organizations, and was past president of the Academy of Restorative Dentistry, past president of Epsilon Alpha Dental Honor Society and a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society.

As Assistant Dean to former Dean Fleming, Ben was encouraged to develop a special postgraduate and continuing dental educational program for the school in 1954.  With little or no space available for a quality education program, Ben received permission from the Regents of the University to conduct a fund raising campaign to fund and build a continuing education center.  The campaign was a success and the center was finished in 1964.  The continuing education program was consistently rated as one of the best in the nation.  Ben always felt that the presentation of quality continuing education programs has been one of the schools best services to its alumni and the dental profession in general.

When Ben was appointed Dean of the School of Dentistry in 1965, his goals were to improve and expand the facilities and funding for faculty, students, staff and programs.  While Ben was Dean, he increased total space for the school from 47,000 square feet to 167,000 square feet.  This provided a new 67,000 square foot clinics building, a large expansion of research space, two new satellite dental clinics at Buchanan Street and San Francisco County Hospital, and expansion and modernization of existing space.  It also permitted establishing a Faculty Practice Program, strengthening the Basic Science Program, expanding the Craniofacial Anomalies Program, and substantially improving clinical training and clinic service.

Funeral services were private.  Donations in Ben's memory may be made to your charity of choice or the UCSF School of Dentistry, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339.