Professor William Young Farewelled

Professor William George Young was recently farewelled in celebratory services held in Brisbane and Stradbroke Island.

Professor Young was a respected long term member of the School of Dentistry community spending three decades in service. Professor Young commenced with the School in 1979 as a Senior Lecturer in Oral Biology.

Dr Farid Khan, who worked closely with Young, was among the family, friends and colleagues who attended the service.

“Professor William George Young was a great friend, colleague and mentor for nearly two decades. The ceremony was tremendously moving and also highlighted many of his outstanding qualities and achievements,” he said.

Professor Young completed his undergraduate dental training in Glasgow and postgraduate training in Canada in oral pathology. He then spent a few years in Minnesota, USA, before moving to Australia in the seventies.

Young published and presented both nationally and internationally. He authored and co-authored various books throughout his long career which have assisted dental practitioners, educators and students better understand tooth wear and dental erosion. During the past two decades Young’s research and clinical work focussed heavily on this field.

“Working on many research projects with him over the years has been inspiring, particularly as the work we completed together over the years, was research driven research, to simply attempt to find answers as to why and how?” said Dr Khan.

“Having presented thirty or so continuing education courses alongside him has been an invaluable experience, for all too often some challenging questions from dental practitioners in attendance spurred our further interest into focusing our research and clinical application strategies into a new or refined direction.”

Concurrent to his university commitments, as an oral pathologist, Young also consulted part-time at the Turbot St private practice. Even after retiring from the University he maintained his consulting sessions there and weekly sessions at the QML laboratories at the Wesley hospital until the end of last year.

Young has also served on the board of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).

“He always had a wonderfully positive and happy character and was a tremendous asset to the School of Dentistry and he will be sadly missed,” Dr Khan said.

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