On Sunday, November 15, 2020, Wesley J. Dunn, DDS, FACD, FRCD(C) (Hon.), FICD (Hon.), FADI (Hon), LL.D. departed this life following a brief illness. He died at his residence at age 96.

For more than sixty-two years Wes was the cherished husband of Jean who passed on in 2011. Wes and Jean built a wonderful life together, first in Toronto and then in London. Wes and Jean had three sons. Bruce (Marion Holgate) passed on in October 2020. Wes was extremely touched by the many tributes from Bruce’s students and others whose lives were made better by him. Wes is survived by sons Steven (Johanne Saucier) of Gatineau, Quebec; and Brian (Kathy Dunn) of London; grandchildren Geneviève Dunn (Arnaud Tremblay) and Jean-Michel Dunn of Gatineau; Sarah Dunn (Phill Maas) of Kamloops, B.C.; and Michael Dunn (Jessica Barré-Dunn) of London; baby great-grandson Théodore Wesley Tremblay, also of Gatineau; and special friend Helen St. Cyr. Wes is the son of the late John J. and Grace E. (Bryan) Dunn. The day before his death Wes spent time outdoors with his family laughing and reminiscing. He was adored by his family.

Wes was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of The University of Western Ontario. He was a past Registrar and past President of the province’s dental profession’s governing body, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. He was a past Editor of Oral Health and the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association. Honorarymemberships were conferred on him by the Canadian Dental Association, the Ontario Dental Association and the Toronto Academy of Dentistry. He was a member of and served a term as Chair of the then Thames Valley District Health Council and later was a member of the Board of Directors of the London Health Sciences Centre and the Board of Directors of the Children’s Health Foundation.

In June 2009, The University of Western Ontario conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

Fellow Dunn leaves a massive legacy to the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Dentistry (now the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry) as it's Founding Dean and guiding light in it's early years.  He was much loved by his students and he made an effort to keep in touch with them over the years.  Many of us can remember receiving a note from Wes congratulating us on an achievement or recognition and it was always written in his beautiful and flowing prose.  Few  people today can write as elegantly as Dr. Dunn did.

As noted above, he served the profession with distinction at many levels and Dentistry as a profession has richly benefited from his service.   Even in his retirement, he held a passionate interest in the well being of the profession.   He will be deeply missed.