9/14/73 - 11/11/04

Richard Lehman, DMD, MPH, had a love for his profession. His interests in healthcare, science, and working with his hands attracted him to dentistry. Focusing on periodontology, he was able to apply his precise manual dexterity skills as well as his interests in cutting-edge technologies. Implantology, surgery, and preventative care were his passions. In his leisurely pursuits, he was attracted to model-building of radio-controlled race cars. He had a unique mannerism of rotating small objects 360 degrees to analyze them from every perspective, including state-of-the art dental appliances and miniscule implants.

Dr. Lehman had a natural talent for educating and inspiring confidence in others, while making friends with his charming humor. His colleagues valued his professional guidance and sought his personal advice. He warmly and openly shared his knowledge with great respect for his audience.

A critical thinker and a keen observer, Dr. Lehman was guided by his intuition of what the field of dentistry needed. When he identified a need, whatever that need may have been, he was quick to fulfill it. When applying to dental school, Dr. Lehman found that there were very few test preparation materials for the DAT exam. He authored How to Prepare for the DAT and published the title while still a student. Additionally, he served as editor for the lauded The Voice dental publication and was a regular contributor to the ASDA News. Dr. Lehman earned his DMD and MPH degrees concurrently at the University of Pittsburgh in 2001 and was a candidate for an MMSC degree and a certificate in Periodontology at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. During his studies at Harvard in 2003, he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. Despite his diagnosis, he pushed forward to be sure that this writing, his final project, would be complete and of the highest quality.

As a resident at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in the Department of Periodontology, Dr. Lehman excelled both in the classroom and in clinic. With his gift for holding people's interest and his ability to share knowledge, he was planning to pursue a career that combined dental education with clinical patient care.

Richard Lehman lived according to the principles of honesty, integrity, hard work, and discipline. He is remembered by his smile, love for life, and genuine heart. The world has lost a fabulous talent and a dedicated and concerned healthcare provider in Richard, but will continue to benefit from his legacy.