Socransky death

Dr. Sigmund Socransky, a pioneer in periodontal microbiology, died Aug. 26, 2011.

Part of the following was taken from a letter written by a friend of Dr. Socranksy, Philip Stashenko, DMD, PhD:

"Dr. Socransky was a true luminary in the field of oral microbiology and periodontology for more than a half century. He was a pioneer who helped to launch the field of modern periodontal disease research, through his many contributions to basic, translational and clinical knowledge. These discoveries, reported in more than 325 publications, include the identification of many of the causative agents of human periodontal diseases; characterization of disease subtypes and microbial complexes/ecology of the human oral cavity; new methods for identifying and quantifying oral bacteria; restatement of Koch’s postulates pertinent to periodontitis; smoking and other risk factors for periodontitis; novel anti-microbial therapies; and comprehensive analyses of the effectiveness of treatments for periodontitis, among other topics."

In 2009, Dr. Socranksy was recognized at the annual AADR meeting with “A Tribute to a Pioneer in Periodontal Microbiology.” Although not able to attend, he provided his thoughts on his research career in a video shown at the meeting (‘Random Recollections of a Journeyman Microbiologist’; vimeo.com/4298961).

Dr. Socranksy will be missed by many.

To read an article from RDH magazine about Dr. Socransky, go to Socransky.

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