Edward Taggart, DDS, longtime professor of periodontics, passed away Sept. 24. He was 77.
A native of Washington, DC, Dr. Taggart earned his DDS at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and later trained in periodontics at UCSF. After retiring from active duty in the U.S. Army, he joined the UCSF School of Dentistry faculty, teaching periodontics to predoctoral dental students from 1978-91. Dr. Taggart then directed the post-graduate program in periodontics from 1991-96.
Even though he retired from UCSF in 2001, Dr. Taggart taught on a volunteer basis until 2017. He also maintained a private practice in the San Francisco office of his former student, Craig Mukai, DDS.
Dr. Taggart was inspirational to many of his students. Yvonne Kapila, DDS, PhD, current chair of the School's department of periodontology, counts Dr. Taggart as instrumental to her decision to become a periodontologist. "His legacy and love of dentistry, periodontology, and patient care will live on in all of us who knew him," she said.
A memorial service for Dr. Taggart will be 4 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Marines Memorial Club, 609 Sutter St., San Francisco. Attendees should RSVP by Oct. 14 to Taggartmemorial@gmail.com.