AAO leaders and many other members who knew him were saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Arthur A. Dugoni on September 23. Dr. Dugoni, who spent 28 years as dean of the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, died at his home in Palo Alto, California.

Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi, the current dean of the dental school, described Dr. Dugoni as “a truly great human being and one of the most important leaders in the 169-year history of our university. He championed a student-centered approach to education and a ‘humanistic’ approach to dentistry that became a national model in dental education. His oft-quoted mantra was, ‘At Pacific we grow people, and along the way they become doctors.’”

Prior to leading the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, Dr. Dugoni was a professor and chair of the department of orthodontics and also served on the dental school’s pediatric dentistry and operative dentistry faculties.

Dr. Dugoni completed his dental education at Tufts University and completed the orthodontic residency program at the University of the Pacific. He was Board certified by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). His extensive work in organized orthodontics and dentistry included serving as president of the ABO, which presented the Albert H. Ketcham Award to him in 1994.

In addition, Dr. Dugoni was president of the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Education Association. He presented approximately 1,000 lectures, papers, clinics and essays, and was the author of more than 175 published articles.

Dr. Dugoni and his late wife, Katherine, were the parents of seven children. The family includes their son, Dr. Steven Dugoni, also a faculty member of the University of the Pacific orthodontic program and a past president of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists.

The family requested memorial gifts be made to The Art Dugoni Scholar Fund, an endowment that will support a Dugoni school dental student selected on the basis of need, merit and leadership potential.
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Dr. Nadershahi invites AAO members who knew or were inspired by Dr. Dugoni to post memories on the dental school web portal that celebrates Dr. Dugoni’s life.
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