Dr. Hannelore Loevy, retired Professor of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry (tenured) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry, died on March 24 at age 81.
Her career included serving as a pediatric dentist; researcher; teacher of histology, pharmacology, and pediatric dentistry; dental historian; and editor and author.
Born in Berlin, Germany, she and her family emigrated to Sao Paolo, Brazil, thereby escaping the Holocaust. She received her dental degree from the University of Sao Paulo in 1952. Dr. Loevy came to the United States to earn her Master’s Degree in Pediatric Dentistry from the UIC College of Dentistry in 1959. She earned her PhD in Anatomy from the University’s College of Medicine in 1961.
Dr. Loevy served on the faculty of the Department of Anatomy at the College of Medicine from 1963 to 1965; on the faculty of the College of Pharmacy from 1968 to 1972; and on the faculty of the College of Dentistry Department of Pediatric Dentistry from 1972 until her retirement in 2006.
She also had served on the faculty of the University of Sao Paolo, Brazil; the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine; and the Northwestern University Colleges of Dentistry and Medicine.
Active in organized dentistry, she was a former President of the Chicago Section of the American Association for Dental Research/International Association for Dental Research (AADR/IADR) and of the Craniofacial Biology group of the AADR/IADR; and also was a former President of the Illinois Society of Pediatric Dentists. She was the first female Regent in the International College of Dentists and the first female Chair of the Board of Governors of the Odontographic Society of Chicago. Because of her high degree of activity in organized dentistry, she received the College’s F. William Towner Award for 2004.
Dr. Loevy was a former Chair of the College of Dentistry Elections and Credentials Committee; of the University Senate Committee on the Library and of its Subcommittee on Library Services; of the University Health Sciences Center Committee on Committees; and of the Lunch Conference Division of the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.
She was Editor of the Journal of the History of Dentistry from 1988 to 2005, and also served as an Editor of the Journal of Dentistry for Children. She was the author of the book Dental Management of the Child Patient, Quintessence Publishing Co., 1981, which also was published in German and Italian editions. Dr. Loevy also co-authored a book, Dentistry on Stamps, illustrating the significance of dentistry and medicine on postage stamps of various countries. She contributed more than 100 articles and abstracts to various scientific journals.
Among Dr. Loevy’s honors were the Merle C. Hunter Leadership Award of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; Distinguished Service Award from the Craniofacial Biology Group of the IADR; the Lindsay Medal from the Lindsay Society for the Study of the History of Dentistry; the Award of Merit from the Odontographic Society of Chicago; and a Recognition Award from the Philippine Dental Society of the Midwest.
Dean Bruce Graham said, “Dr. Loevy was a loyal faculty member and served as an effective representative of the College of Dentistry to the UIC Senate for many years. She was a wise and knowledgeable parliamentarian for the College faculty meetings. She is a nationally recognized historian of the dental profession who has preserved the history of women in our profession for posterity. We shall miss her.”
Dr. Loevy is survived by her daughter, Luciana Taschini. Her husband, Dr. Pierangelo Taschini, and daughter Thea Clara Taschini preceded her in death.
The funeral will be held on Thursday, March 28, at 11 a.m., at KAM Isaiah Israel, 1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago. Interment is at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois, at 1 p.m.