SLS 20RS-1748 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 70
BY SENATOR JOHNS
CONDOLENCES. Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Henry Gremillion, Dean
of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of Dr.
3 Henry Gremillion, DDS, MAGD, Dean of the LSU Health New Orleans School of
4 Dentistry.
5 WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the members of the
6 Legislature of Louisiana have learned of the passing of Dr. Henry Gremillion, on May 18,
7 2020; and
8 WHEREAS, a Louisiana native, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bascom Gremillion,
9 adopted at the age of seven months from an orphanage in north Louisiana and raised in
10 Cottonport, a small Louisiana farming community with a population of about two thousand
11 people; and
12 WHEREAS, after graduating from the LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry
13 in 1977, Dr. Gremillion opened a practice in Cottonport where he saw patients from all
14 walks of life – his neighbors, children in the Head Start Program, members of the
15 Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe, and nursing home residents; and
16 WHEREAS, his service to his community went far beyond taking care of their oral
17 health as he was a volunteer firefighter, a member of the local school board, and a member
18 of the city council where he sought to implement community fluoridation and move forward
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1 with reapportionment to address the disparity in representation; and his many contributions
2 were publicly recognized when he was named 1989 Cottonport Citizen of the Year; and
3 WHEREAS, the quest to learn more to improve the quality of life for his patients led
4 to a two-year craniofacial pain fellowship at the University of Florida College of Dentistry
5 (UFCD), and, instead of being a stepping stone to return to private practice back home in
6 Louisiana, the fellowship led him to academic dentistry; and
7 WHEREAS, rising through the academic ranks, Dr. Gremillion was named the
8 Parker E. Mahan Endowed Professor of Orofacial Pain in the Department of Orthodontics
9 and was a member of the dental staff of Shands Teaching Hospital; he also served as the
10 director of the UFCD Parker Mahan Facial Pain Center and its fellowship program in
11 craniomandibular dysfunction; and
12 WHEREAS, he returned to LSU in 2008 as the sixth dean since the founding of the
13 school of dentistry and the only alumnus to hold the position, and continued the school's
14 recovery from the devastation that followed Hurricane Katrina; he guided sorely needed
15 renovations to improve the learning environment for students; the preclinical laboratories
16 now rival those at any school anywhere; he enhanced patient care and research by
17 completing the only new building on the dental school campus since it was founded, the $31
18 million Allen A. Copping, DDS Advanced Clinical Care and Research Building which
19 opened in 2018; and
20 WHEREAS, he led the state's only school of dentistry and the only one in the country
21 with degree programs in dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental laboratory technology, but was
22 most proud of his students and often spoke of their "giving nature"; he delighted in helping
23 them with their community service projects like Give Kids a Smile Day and Adopt an Angel
24 where you could see him wheeling bikes into elevators down to the lobby for pick up by the
25 Salvation Army truck; and
26 WHEREAS, one of the programs closest to Dr. Gremillion's heart was the Summer
27 Enrichment Program, the purpose of the program being to diversify dentistry by identifying
28 and preparing students from underrepresented minority and disadvantaged backgrounds to
29 be competitive for application to, and then succeed in, dental school and in so doing,
30 changed the complexion of the dental school; and
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1 WHEREAS, Dr. Gremillion's many honors include LSU Health New Orleans School
2 of Dentistry Alumnus of Year in 2001, the school's highest alumnus award, and the
3 University of Florida College of Dentistry Teacher of the Year in 2002 and 2007; and
4 WHEREAS, a beloved educator, the Florida Dental Association honored him as the
5 Florida Dental Educator of the Year in 2002 and 2006; and
6 WHEREAS, Dr. Gremillion received the Louisiana Academy of General Dentistry
7 Career Service Award in 2003 and a 2007 Distinguished Professor by the University of
8 Florida Blue Key Society; and
9 WHEREAS, in 2008, the American Academy of General Dentistry honored Dr.
10 Gremillion with the prestigious Theodore V. Weclew Award for contributions to the
11 education of general dentists and, in 2009, the Dawson Academy honored him with its
12 Career Service Award; in 2010, he received the American Academy of Orofacial Pain
13 Service Award, and in 2015, was awarded the Pierre Fauchard Gold Medal, presented
14 annually to a dentist in the United States who has made outstanding contributions to the
15 progress and standing of the dental profession; one of the international dental honor
16 organization's most prestigious and exclusive awards; and
17 WHEREAS, he was a member of the American Dental Association, Louisiana Dental
18 Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honorary Dental
19 Fraternity, American Academy of Orofacial Pain, American Pain Society, International
20 Association for the Study of Pain, American Equilibration Society, American Association
21 for Dental Research and International Association for Dental Research; and
22 WHEREAS, Dr. Gremillion was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the
23 American Dental Education Association, the sole national organization representing
24 academic dentistry; and
25 WHEREAS, despite his national stature, Dr. Gremillion easily related to people from
26 all walks of life as students, faculty, patients, members of the community, elected officials,
27 and local, state, and national leaders all found him approachable, respectful, caring, engaged
28 and down to earth; and
29 WHEREAS, he was a dedicated doctor, a nationally recognized educator, and a
30 visionary leader at local, state, and federal levels who inspired countless dental students
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1 throughout his time as dean of the state's only dental school and whose vision steered the
2 school through expansions and renovations so that students can practice their skills in the
3 most advanced preclinical labs in America; and
4 WHEREAS, his contributions to the dental profession in Louisiana and nationally
5 are unparalleled; he leaves a legacy of professional standards, high ideals, integrity, quality
6 education, and service that will continue to shape dental practice for generations to come;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, with his passing dental education has lost a true gentleman, scholar,
9 leader, and friend, and an incredible man, educator, and visionary; and
10 WHEREAS, his passion for the betterment of his beloved profession was powerful
11 and sincere; he truly understood, and more importantly, valued the relationships between the
12 school, the students, and the dental professionals; he worked tirelessly to make sure his
13 students had the proper education, exposure, and experience to share in his vision of
14 supporting all Louisiana communities; and
15 WHEREAS, Dr. Gremillion is survived by his wife of forty-five years, Karleen
16 Mackey Gremillion; daughters Erin G. Jackson (Brad) and Lindsay G. Maples (Andy); and
17 sons Alan Gremillion (Sarah) and Scott Gremillion (Wendy); as well as ten grandchildren;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, he was one of the most respected in the world in his field of facial pain,
20 who was loved by all for his love of sharing his knowledge and his kind demeanor, a mentor
21 to many as a dentist and a loving person who will be dearly missed by his family, friends and
22 colleagues.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
24 express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Dr. Henry Gremillion, does
25 hereby extend posthumous honor and tribute to Dr. Henry Gremillion for a distinguished
26 career of excellence which was marked by his uncompromising endeavor to improve the
27 LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry, the practice of dentistry, and the welfare of
28 his fellow citizens, and to make Louisiana a better place to live, and does hereby recognize
29 and record his singular and momentous contributions and achievements which will long be
30 remembered and will long continue to be a source of pride for his family, his friends, and
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1 the state of Louisiana.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
3 Karleen Mackey Gremillion and Family.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SCR 70 Original 2020 Regular Session Johns
Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Henry Gremillion, DDS, MAGD, Dean of the
LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry.
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