NSU Horizons Fall 2010

Sigmund Stahl does not know how to retire. He tried 15 years ago, leaving a prominent dental career at the New York University College of Dentistry. He left the bright lights of Manhattan for sunny South Florida after spending decades as a periodontic professor, researcher, and associate dean. He told his NYU colleagues he was going to retire in the land of sandy beaches. But the lure of dental medicine was too strong. In 1996, Stahl was recruited by Nova Southeastern University to help start the College of Dental Medicine (CDM). He agreed. Stahl, M.S., D.D.S., who is now an adjunct professor of periodontics at the CDM, worked closely with the college’s founding dean, Seymour Oliet, D.D.S., to launch a fledgling dental school in 1997 with 75 students. The school has since blossomed into one of the best and most selective in the nation. “We were not sure if there were going to be students or patients,” said Stahl. “But now, we are getting lots of patients and the brightest students in the country.” Helping launch NSU’s dental school, the only one in South Florida, is one of many accomplishments for this legendary dentist and educator. After escaping Nazi Germany as a boy, Stahl spent more than six decades in the United States pioneer- ing teaching methods and research in periodontology—the study of gums, bones, and other supporting structures of teeth. “As one of the early founders of periodontics, he is a giant in the field,” said Frank DePiano, Ph.D., NSU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “He was instrumental in getting our dental school up and running. We are lucky to have him.” While others might think highly of him, Stahl, 85, down- plays his accomplishments with humility. Instead, he considers himself lucky to turn his life’s passion for dentistry into a career. But most of all, the soft-spoken gentleman, who resides in Palm Beach County, looks forward to what genuinely makes him tick—the chance to positively influence the next generation of dentists. “Teaching is very sacred,” Stahl said. “You are a person who has the ability to transform a human being. My job is to stimulate my students, so they ask questions.” One of those inquisitive students, Gregory Pette, D.M.D., a third-year postgraduate dental resident in the CDM perio- dontal program, considers Stahl a mentor. “He has greatly impacted my career,” said Pette. “He inspired me to be heavily involved in clinical research. His continued enthusiasm for teaching and the field of dentistry, blows my mind.” Trailblazing Years Stahl’s dream of becoming a dentist began as a young man in New York City, where his family moved after leaving Germany in 1939. Curious and brilliant, Stahl completed dental school at the University of Minnesota College of Dentistry in 1947. Two years later, he would add a master’s degree in histopa- thology—the study of the manifestations of diseases—from the University of Illinois. In 1950, he began his career at NYU as an instructor in charge of research. Five years later, he became an assistant professor in the dental school’s Department of Periodontia and Oral Medicine. In 1978, he was named associate dean for academic affairs. “This man has truly amazed me,” said Stuart Hirsch, D.D.S., an associate dean at NYU College of Dentistry. “He is an individual who is always curious. And he really believes in quality.” At NYU, Stahl began his trailblazing research in periodon- tics. He wanted to know how gum tissue healed around teeth after dental work, as well as the impact that gingivitis—the inflammation of gums—had on teeth. He was also curious about how bone in a patient’s mouth would react to dental implants. The goal was to make sure implants stayed in the mouth. His research led to a better understanding of all these issues and has helped dentists improve their techniques. Stahl also became one of the first dentists to use pap smears to help diagnose oral cancer. 22 horizons Faculty Profile CDM Founder Leaves Lasting Imprint By Ken Ma