In memoriam: Dr. David Johnston

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Dr. David Wilson Johnston aged 87 who passed away peacefully at McCormick Home, London on July 26, 2023.

David was born in Belfast N. Ireland and attended the Belfast Royal Academy where he was a star pupil and enthusiastic member of the school rugby team, a game he loved to watch later in life.

He graduated in dentistry from Queens University Belfast and later went on to gain a prestigious degree in Public Health from Harvard in Boston, U.S.A. Further appointments in Public Health took him to the University of New York at Buffalo, Guys Hospital in London, England and Public Health Director of Sheffield where he allocated funds for dental programmes in the city and surrounding areas. 

The family moved to Canada in 1977 where David became a full professor in the dental Public Health Division at Western University.

He published many research papers and funded a successful simulated clinic which would help dental students practice their skills. He later emphasized the importance of epidemiology in his field, a subject he was passionate about. 

David will be remembered by his family for his love of classical music, his nose in his paper and eyes on the TV news. He will also be remembered by his repertoire of Irish stories which captivated many of his friends and family alike.  

To read the full obituary click here.