Dr. Robert E. Gillis Jr.

Robert E. Gillis Jr., DMD, passed away March 16, 2015, in Sacramento, California, after a short illness. Dr. Gillis was a native of Pennsylvania and spent his youth in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, New Jersey, in 1962, from which he entered the College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, Massachusetts. Dr. Gillis received a B.S. in Biology from the College of the Holy Cross in 1966. He entered the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1966 and received the DMD degree in 1970. Upon completion of Dental School, Dr. Gillis completed a rotating dental internship in the United States Public Health Service in San Francisco and then spent an additional two years with the Public Health Service. Dr. Gillis entered the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, in 1973 for a residency in Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Prosthetics. He completed that residency in 1976 with a certificate in Prosthodontics as well as the M.S.D. degree which was awarded by the University of Minnesota. He served as a clinical instructor in Prosthodontics and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Oral Biology and Maxillofacial Prosthetics at the University of California, San Francisco, from 1976 to 1978. He then served as Lecturer, Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento from 1978 to 1988. He began a private practice in Prosthodontics in Sacramento in 1978 which he operated until his death. Dr. Gillis is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics.

Dr. Gillis was a member of many dental organizations including the American Dental Association, The American College of Dentists, the California Dental Association, the Sacramento District Dental Society and the Sacramento District Dental Foundation. He served on multiple councils of the California Dental Association and multiple committees of the Sacramento District Dental Society. He was a member of the Board of Directors and progressed through the officer chairs of the Sacramento District Dental Society and the Sacramento District Dental Foundation becoming President of the Sacramento District Dental Society in 2004 and President of the Sacramento District Dental Foundation in 2006. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award and the Helen Hamilton Award of the Sacramento District Dental Society. He was a trustee of the California Dental Association form 2011 until his death.

Dr. Gillis was also a member of many Prosthodontic organizations including The American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, The Pacific Coast Society of Prosthodontics, The American College of Prosthodontics and the Academy of Prosthodontics. He served on multiple committees of these organizations. He was a member of the Council of the Pacific Coast Society of Prosthodontics and the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics. He proceeded through the officer chairs of both of these prosthodontic organizations becoming President of the Pacific Coast Society of Prosthodontics in 1998 and President of the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics in 2002. He was also a member the Board of Directors of the Maxillofacial Foundation from 2003 until his death. He served on the Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry from 1999-2003. He was a member of the American College of Prosthodontist?s Council for the Affairs of the American Board of Prosthodontics from 2003 until 2008. Dr. Gillis published extensively in refereed and non-refereed publications. He lectured extensively locally and nationally having made over one hundred formal presentations before various professional groups.

Dr. Gillis was also very committed to community service. He worked extensively with the American Cancer Society where he served on multiple committees at the state and local levels and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Sacramento Cancer Council. Consistent with his profound religious beliefs, Dr. Gillis and his wife actively participated in their church activities and served both locally and nationally in Worldwide Marriage Encounter for the past fifteen years. In addition to his wife Dr. Gillis is survived by his five children and seven grandchildren.