Cloudy, 30° F
(Oct. 16, 2005)
Dr. Noel David Wilkie, 74, retired United States Navy dentist and professor at both Georgetown University and New York University, died of complications from Hodgkins Lymphoma at Georgetown University Hospital on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Dr. Wilkie began his 28-year career in the United States Navy Dental Corps by serving aboard the USS General A.E. Anderson. Following a sabbatical in Lovell, where he was in private practice, Dr. Wilkie returned to the United States Navy Dental Corps for post graduate study at the Naval Dental School in Bethesda, Md.
Dr. Wilkie served aboard the USS Enterprise during the Vietnam War. He was in charge of the Midship’s Battle Dressing Station the day of the USS Enterprise fire —Jan. 14, 1969 — and saved many lives.
He returned to the Naval Graduate Dental School in Bethesda, Md., and served as Chief of the Complete Denture Section, Director of the Second-Year Residencies in Prosthodontics, and Course Director and Course Lecturer for a variety of fields until 1974. Following a four-year assignment at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, D.C., he served as the Commanding Officer of the Naval Regional Dental Clinic at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Staff Dental Officer at the Pearl Harbor Navy Base, the Force Dental Officer of the Naval Logistics Command Pacific, the Force Dental Officer of the Submarine Force Pacific, and the Fleet Dental Officer of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1978 until 1982.
Upon his return to the Washington area in 1982, Dr. Wilkie served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Dentistry, Naval Medical Command National Capital Region and was a lecturer at the Naval School of Health Sciences in Bethesda.
Upon retirement from the United States Navy in 1984, he served as an Associate Professor in the School of Dentistry and the Graduate School at Georgetown University for five years, teaching in the predoctoral and postdoctoral programs. Upon the closing of the dental school in 1989, Dr. Wilkie continued his teaching career at New York University where he served as an Associate Professor and the Director of the Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry until 1994.
He also served as a member of the Clinical Staff, Dental Services, Veterans Administration, Manhattan Hospital, New York, N.Y., from 1989 until 1994.
Son of the late John David Wilkie and Gail Louise Hibbard, Dr. Wilkie was born on the Fourth of July in Powell in 1931. He attended Powell High School and spent his freshman year of college at Northwest Community College in Powell. Dr. Wilkie was a graduate of the University of Wyoming where he received his B.S. degree in chemistry and zoology. He received his D.D.S. degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Wilkie received his certification as a Diplomate from the American Board of Prosthodontics in 1970. He served as an Associate Professorial Lecturer at the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. from 1970 until 1974.
He authored nine journal articles and four monographs and presented over 60 lectures or courses nationally and abroad. He conducted research in condyle position, ridge augmentation procedures, and dental resins; and developed computer software that assists in denture tooth selection. Dr. Wilkie was instrumental in the founding of the Journal of Prosthodontics and served as an Organizational Editor to the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.
Dr. Wilkie was a Fellow and Past-President of the American College of Prosthodontics. He was also Past-President of the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation. Dr. Wilkie served as a Delegate to the Federation of Prosthodontics Organization from 1984 until 1993. He was a past chairman of the Council for the Affairs of the American Board of Prosthodontics. Dr. Wilkie was a Fellow of the Academy of Prosthodontics and served on the Board of the Education and Research Foundation. He was a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. He was a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon. He was a member of the American Dental Association and its component, the District Dental Society. He served as a consultant to the Veterans Administration, the Northeast Regional Examining Board, and the Naval Dental School.
Dr. Wilkie served as a member of the Board of Directors of the University of Wyoming Alumni Association from 1995 until 1999 and as its President from 1998 until 1999.
Dr. Wilkie was honored as the 1985 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year at Northwest College in Powell; the 1986 Delta Sigma Delta Dental Fraternity Teacher of the Year at the Georgetown University School of Dentistry; the 1990 Humanitarian of the Year by the District Dental Society, Washington, D.C.; and was honored by Omicron Kappa Upsilon at the Georgetown University School of Dentistry in 1989.
Dr. Wilkie was the recipient of two Navy Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals (the second of which was for Heroic Achievement, the third with Combat V), the Navy Unit Citation, the National Defense Medal, the Naval Expeditionary Medal with Second Campaign Star, the Vietnam Service Medal with Three Campaign Stars, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device.
In retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Wilkie divided their time between their homes in Rockville, Md., and Bethany Beach, Del. Dr. Wilkie continued his involvement in the field of denture prosthetics and dental education through his Prosstars Newsletter for 10 years and then through his Web site www.prosstars.com. Dr. Wilkie enjoyed reading, biking, cooking, baseball, beach activities, and trout fishing.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Constance J. Wilkie of Rockville, Md.; a sister, Jean Stevens of Erie, Colo.; a daughter, Nancy J. Wilkie of Brookeville, Md.; a son, Jeffrey J. Wilkie of Gaithersburg, Md.; and four granddaughters.
Memorial services will be conducted Thursday, Nov. 17 at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, Md., at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery.
For those who wish, contributions to The Wilkie Family Scholarship, in care of Northwest College Foundation, 231 West Sixth St., Powell, WY 82435 would be appreciated by the family.
