IN MEMORIAM: DR. EDWARD R. GENECOV

Contributions compiled from Drs. David and Jeff Genecov, and Rabbi William Gershon, of Shearith Israel Congregation in Dallas.

We are deeply saddened as we mourn the loss of Dr. Ed Genecov. Ed was loved by so many people, his family, his friends, his colleagues, his students, and his patients. As news of his death spread, people from all over the country and indeed the world, called or emailed the family of their shock and heartbreak at hearing the news.

Ed had been fighting kidney disease for the last three years and battled other health conditions over the last 15 or so years. After each operation or lifethreatening procedure he would say: “we dodged another bullet.” But unfortunately, Ed got progressively weaker, until finally his strength was diminished and his body gave out. Although he was short in stature he was a giant of human being. It is rare in life to encounter a person who made such an indelible impact on so many lives. And he did this without wanting recognition or reward.

Dr. Genecov received his DDS from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1956 and his certificate in Orthodontics from Columbia University in 1960. He returned to Dallas to establish his orthodontic practice. In 1961, he was recruited by Dr. Robert Gaylord, the founding Chairman of Baylor’s Department of Orthodontics, to join the charter faculty of a new Graduate Orthodontic Program being established at the College. Dr. Genecov accepted his invitation and has served continuously on the faculty for 45 years, moving through the academic ranks to Clinical Professor in 1993. Through the years, he taught over 200 residents, and served as a role model and mentor for many individuals who have had distinguished careers of service to our profession and their communities.

Dr. Genecov was a strong believer in the principles represented by the American Board of Orthodontics. He was certified by the Board in 1968 and has encouraged his students to seek certification after graduation.

Dr. Genecov was active throughout his career in organized Dentistry and Orthodontics. He was a member of the American Dental Association and its component societies, and a past President of the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists and the Charles H. Tweed Study Group of Texas. He was an active member of the Angle Society and the Southwest Component of that organization. He was a delegate to the House of Delegates of the AAO and served on that organization’s Council on Public and Professional Relations. He was also an active member of the American Cleft Palate Association, and was responsible for many clinical innovations in the treatment of patients with craniofacial deformities for over 40 years.

Dr. Genecov had been recognized by his peers and honored with membership in Omicron Kappa Upsilon, and Fellowships in the American and International College of Dentists, and received numerous awards for his clinical expertise from The Dallas Mid-Winter meeting, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and the Dewey Award from the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists.

What was really exceptional about Dr. Genecov’s contributions was his humanity and caring for the patients and their families who must deal with the heartbreak of craniofacial deformity. As both a clinician and teacher, Dr. Genecov’s devotion to his patients was a labor of love. For over 40 years he was involved in the treatment of hundreds of patients who came to his office in Dallas from all over the world for their special treatment needs. Through his publications and lectures, his approach to the treatment of cleft lip and palate patients was received with acclaim by his colleagues throughout the world. As a teacher, his residents and professional colleagues benefitted from his unique knowledge and saw him as a role model of a professional who consistently put his patients’ welfare first.

When it came to his patients, Ed was not only an outstanding Orthodontist, but one of the most giving, compassionate doctors people ever encountered. He was a pioneer in dealing with treatment of patients with special needs, and put parents at ease telling them to treat their kids with this condition in the same way they treated their other kids. Ed was mainstreaming and integrating special needs kids long before it became the norm. He had an uncanny way of reducing a child’s fear and instilling in them confidence and self-worth. One of his patents, upon hearing of his death remarked, “Your Dad put smiles on all of my kids.” This was true in so many ways.

And as dedicated as Ed was to his patients, they were dedicated to him. One family drove 15 hours in snow and ice to make their appointment, only to find the office closed due to the weather. They called Ed and he opened the office for them. Ed would see patients day or night, even at home, where he kept a special drawer of materials and equipment so that he could take care of kids over the weekend or in an emergency. Ed treated hundreds of patients without being paid for well over a year. He was always extending himself to help others.

So many owe their success in life to Dr. Ed Genecov, because he did more than treat them, he cared about them, he listened to their concerns and fears, and through his compassion, he changed lives. He always said, “The kids who are the hardest to love need it the most.” He loved kids and gave so many kids lives of happiness, lives where they could stand up tall, with confidence and possess a healthy image of self. What an incredible gift.

Just as Ed was loved by his patients he was respected and revered by his students. He was on the original faculty of Baylor Dental School and helped to create the graduate program in Orthodontics where he held a professorship for 46 years. To his students he was more than just an instructor. He became their mentor, their friend. He took them in and brought them home for meals and holidays and trips to the lake. His students became part of the family. Ed collected friends from all over the world, but Ed’s greatest love was for his family. He will be deeply missed.