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In Tribute to Dr. Philip Boyne, DMD, MS, DSc

Dr. Philip Boyne was a world-renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon, dental implantologist, biological innovator, and bone physiologist. Osteo Science Foundation was established, in part, to honor Dr. Boyne and his surgical excellence and outstanding research and to make his vision of bone and tissue regeneration a reality.

A native of Maine, he received his BA degree from Colby College. After receiving a DMD degree from Tufts School of Dental Medicine and an MS degree in Bone Grafting from Georgetown University, he joined the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant and completed landmark research in the study of bone.

Dr. Boyne’s 20 years of service included active duty in Vietnam as a surgeon on an aircraft carrier, followed by intensive studies of severe craniomaxillary injuries sustained in battle. He wrote the roadmap for facial skeletal reconstruction which still serves as a fundamental guide to surgeons.

Upon retirement with a rank of captain from the Navy, he served on the faculty at the University of California at Los Angeles where he was Assistant Dean for Graduate Training and Hospital Affairs. After serving as Founding Dean of the new School of Dentistry at the University of Texas, San Antonio, he was appointed to the faculty of Loma Linda University Medical Center as Chief of the Oral and Maxillofacial Service. He was made Professor Emeritus in 2001.

Dr. Boyne’s work involved a lifelong study of maxillofacial bone grafting. He was the first to develop and report many new surgical procedures including the use of hyperbaric oxygen to treat bone infection of the jaws, the use of membranes to guide bone repair, and the use of an effective autogenous graft system to correct cleft palate deformities. Later, his research involved the application of bone inductor cytokines to produce bone repair without the necessity of bone grafting.

Other remarkable firsts in dental treatment are attributed to Dr. Boyne. He studied the use of xenograft, freezedried bone, and autograft for bone defect treatment more than 50 years ago. He advocated the use of autogenous bone marrow aspirate in dental reconstruction, and reported the first verified technique for secondary bone grafting of alveolar clefts. He was the first to describe use of sinus elevation to augment alveolar bone mass for implants. In 1987, he reported the use of socket preservation grafts. He is credited with initial use of human bone morphogenetic protein-2 for mandibular discontinuity treatment, for sinus grafting, for cleft repair, and as part of dental implant surfaces.

For his pioneering development of a method of cleft palate grafting now used internationally, he was the recipient of the highest honor given by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, the “Honors of the Association.” Dr. Boyne also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Colby College and the Distinguished Faculty Award from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. He served as examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for 14 years and served as president of that Board. In addition to being president of the American Board of OMFS, Dr. Boyne served as president of the American College of OMFS and as president of the American Institute of Oral Biology.

Notable among his accomplishments is his influence on students and colleagues. Alan Herford, DDS, MD, and Founding Board Member of Osteo Science Foundation, participated with Dr. Boyne in research. He said of Dr. Boyne, “Dr. Boyne was the reason I chose to pursue a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery. When I completed a residency program in 2000, I chose to return to Loma Linda—a big reason was to work with Dr. Boyne, whom I first got to know as a dental student working on various research projects with him. He has been a mentor, colleague, and friend, but mostly, an inspiration. I first got to know Dr. Boyne in 1992 as a dental student. I worked with him on various research projects. We discussed topics ranging from surgery to baseball. I have many fond memories of spending time with both him and Mrs. Boyne. I continually asked for his advice and guidance. I owe much of what I have become as an OMF surgeon to him.”

In addition to his scholarly and skillful pursuits, Dr. Boyne has endowed scholarship programs at Loma Linda University and Colby College to fund resident support and student tuition. Dr. Boyne passed away in June 2008.

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