Donald B. Giddon

Dr. Donald Bernard Giddon, a widely respected scholar, educator, and university administrator, passed away at the age of 95 on November 15, 2025. He served as the Dean of the NYU College of Dentistry, Professor Emeritus of Developmental Biology at Harvard Medical School, and Clinical Professor Emeritus at the Brown University School of Public Health, dedicating his life to strengthening the institutions he served. His sharp intellect and distinctive sense of humor drew people to his work and ideas.

Donald, the eldest son of Ruth Franklin and Irving Schwartz, was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1930. After his father’s early death, he and his brother Franklin were adopted by their stepfather, William Giddon, and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts. Donald graduated from Brookline High School before earning a BA from Brown University, an MA from Boston University, a PhD from Brandeis University, and a DMD from Harvard University, where he later achieved a tenured professorship – a hallmark of his academic career. He served as a Professor and Associate Dean at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, conducted teaching and research internationally in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and taught at Brown University and the University of Florida.

In 1975, Donald became Dean of the NYU College of Dentistry at a time when the institution risked losing accreditation. By securing funding, upgrading facilities, and strengthening the faculty, he successfully restored the school’s standing.

Donald’s research and clinical innovations pioneered approaches that bridged dentistry, medicine, and behavioral science. He launched his distinguished research career with the discovery of an enzyme deficiency in the saliva of mentally ill patients, a finding published in The Lancet and reported in The New York Times. A charter member of the American Pain Society and longtime consultant to the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, he championed the concept of the “oral physician,” integrating oral health with behavioral, physical, and mental health care. His work encompassed studies of pain lateralization and blood flow, as well as the development of morphing software to explore the anatomical bases of facial and body attractiveness. Over his career, Donald wrote three books and more than 250 publications, and as a consultant to Astra (now AstraZeneca), he oversaw global clinical trials of anesthetics and related medications.

Beyond academia, Donald served as a trustee of Emerson College and, alongside his wife Phoebe Rothman Giddon, generously supported Harvard University, Brown University, and Brandeis University, as well as Shakespeare & Company, the Berkshire Theatre Group, the Berkshire Opera Festival, and numerous local arts and human-service organizations.

Donald is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Phoebe, their four children, David, Ken, Jim, and Joanna, their spouses, Rhonda, Amy, Diana, and David, and their seven grandchildren, Kyle, Amanda, Will, Coby, Alexandra, Brooke, and Carly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA 01240; development@shakespeare.org. To send remembrances to the family please go to www.finnertyandstevens.com