Howard Jones, DMD, president of the American Dental Association from 2002-03, passed away on March 4 at the age of 80.

Howard Jones, DMD, American Dental Association president from 2002-03, died on March 4 in Athens, Georgia, at the age of 80.

A memorial service was held on March 27 at the Carrollton First United Methodist Church in Georgia.

Born in Tallassee, Alabama, on November 13, 1942, he was the first child and only son of Theodore and Flora Jean Jones, according to his online obituary.

Jones was the first person in his family to attend college at Birmingham-Southern College and graduated from dental school at the University of Alabama.

After dental school, he settled in Carrollton, Georgia, and was a general dentist for half a century. With support from the local dental community, Jones assumed increasing leadership responsibilities within the profession, eventually serving as president of the Georgia Dental Association in the 90s as an ADA trustee before ascending to the presidency of the ADA.

During his presidency, the ADA and two of its member dentists sued some of the nation’s largest insurers under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act and state laws for insurance abuses against dentists contracted under the insurers’ managed-care plans.

In addition, during his presidency, a federal judge for the Northern District of Georgia dismissed two dental amalgam lawsuits filed against the ADA that alleged harm from mercury exposure from dental amalgams.

Jones is survived by his wife Lois; sister Brenda and brother-in-law Bill Brigadier in Madison, Alabama; son Ted and daughter-in-law Miranda Kennedy in Washington, DC; daughter Amy and son-in-law Mark Abbe, in Athens, Georgia; son Dan and daughter-in-law Emily Jones in Alexandria, Virginia; and grandchildren Olivia Jones, Henry Abbe, Annie Jones, Helena Jones, and Penelope Abbe.

In place of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or a favorite local charity.

Photo via ADA