Dr. William Robert Proffit, 1936. 4. 19–2018. 9. 30

Dr. William Robert Proffit, an orthodontic educator and a prolific researcher, passed away at age 82.

Dr. William R. Proffit of Chapel Hill, NC passed away on Sunday, September 30, 2018. Dr. Proffit received his dental degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) (1959), a PhD degree in physiology from the Medical College of Virginia (1962), and the orthodontic certificate at the University of Washington (1963). He began his research career at the National Institute of Dental Research in 1963, and joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky in 1965, serving as the first chairman of the Department of Orthodontics. From 1973 to 1975, he was a Professor of Orthodontics and Chairman of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Florida.

Dr. Proffit served as the Chairman of the Department of Orthodontics in UNC from 1975 to 2001, and was still actively involved in teaching and lecturing at UNC and worldwide up until the time of his death. In 1992, the UNC Board of Trustees honored Dr. Proffit by naming him a W.R. Kenan Distinguished Professor, which is considered one of the University's most prestigious honors. His other accolades include: the 1994 American Dental Association Norton Ross Award, the 2005 American Board of Orthodontics Albert H. Ketcham Award, and the 2017 inaugural American Association of Orthodontics Lifetime Achievement Award in Orthodontic Research. Dr. Proffit's incredible expertise and unprecedented influence on orthodontics, not only in the United States but around the world, earned him global recognition as one of the leaders in orthodontics. He authored “Contemporary Orthodontics”, considered the definitive text for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral orthodontics students, which just recently was completed in its sixth edition and printed in 12 languages. During his career, Dr. Proffit published more than 200 scientific papers, 20 book chapters and invited contributions.

Dr. Proffit visited us twice in Korea for teaching orthodontic courses and delivered great lectures. Many orthodontists in Korea will dearly miss Dr. Proffit forever.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Sara (Dr. Proffit's wife) and his family during this period of mourning.

In lieu of flowers, an endowed chair at UNC is being created in his honor.

To make a memorial contribution to the Dr. William R. Proffit Professorship, please send donations to: the Dr. William R. Proffit Memorial Fund – 202413 (mailing address: The Dental Foundation of North Carolina, UNC School of Dentistry, 1090 First Dental Bldg., CB #7450 Chapel Hill, NC 27566-7450, USA or website: http://giving.unc.edu/gift/custom/?p=dent&f=202413).