Honourary Member of CAPD/ACDP
1922 - July 22, 2019
Dear Members,
We learned last week that Dr. Gordon Nikiforuk, who was made an Honourary Member of the Academy in 2001, passed away last week. We have reprinted the tribute to Dr. Nikiforuk from Daniel Haas, the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto.
In the next issue of The Mirror, CAPD/ACDP will also pay tribute to Dr. Nikiforuk with memories from his colleagues.
CAPD/ACDP shares in the sadness of Dr. Nikiforuk's passing and on behalf of all members, extends sincere condolences to Dr. Nikiforuk's family.
Sincerely
Dr. Raymond Lee, President
and
Dr. Ross Anderson, Executive Director
In Memoriam: Dr. Gordon Nikiforuk
Dean Daniel Haas, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto
Dear faculty, staff, and instructors,
It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that former dean and faculty member Dr. Gordon Nikiforuk passed away last week.
Dr. Nikiforuk graduated with a DDS from the University of Toronto in 1947. He then went on to obtain a Masters of Science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana in 1954, with a specialization in paediatric dentistry. As the specialization was only recognized in the United States in 1947, Dr. Nikiforuk was one of the first to be conferred this specialization degree in North America.
Dr. Nikiforuk returned to the Faculty of Dentistry in January of 1970 as a Professor and Assistant Director of the Post-Graduate Division, Biological Sciences. In July 1970, Dr. Nikiforuk was named Dean of the Faculty, a post he held until 1977. He continued to teach at the Faculty until his retirement in 1989, but returned as an Associate of Dentistry until 1993. Over the years, Dr. Nikiforuk had an enormous impact on the school and generations of students, and even helped champion the creation of U of T’s paediatric dentistry specialization program, the first of its kind in Canada, which began in the early 1960s.
In 1990, Dr. Nikiforuk received the Faculty of Dentistry’s highest honour, the Award of Distinction. In 1997, Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc. established an award in Dr. Nikiforuk’s honour, in recognition of the vital role he played in teaching preventive dentistry until his retirement in 1989.
Dr. Nikiforuk is survived by his wife Marge and his sons, Chris and Andrew.
Sincerely,
Daniel Haas
Dean
