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Memoir
Edward J. Billy
Regent's Proceedings 77
Regent's Proceedings 77
Edward J. Billy, D.M.D., clinical professor of dentistry, retired from active faculty status on July 31, 2006.
Professor Billy received his D.M.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry in 1966, and completed his internship (1966-67) and prosthodontic residency (1967-69) at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Pittsburgh while also serving as an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh. From 1969-92 he served in the U.S. Navy, where he began as an assistant prosthodontic officer and was promoted to many other roles, including an appointment as chair of the prosthodontic residency program at the Naval Dental School from 1987-91. In 1991, he began serving as a visiting lecturer in the prosthodontic residency program at the Naval Dental School, a position he still holds. Professor Billy joined the University of Michigan faculty in 1992 as a lecturer and was promoted to clinical assistant professor in 1993, clinical associate professor in 1997, and clinical professor in 2001.
In 2001, Professor Billy became the director of the Graduate Prosthodontics Program in the School of Dentistry. As director, he greatly strengthened the program by introducing new courses, improving the financial structure, and initiating renovations to the clinic. Under Professor Billy's leadership, the success rate of students in passing their specialty boards in prosthodontics increased significantly. A popular teacher, he was twice named "Instructor of the Year" by the third-year dental students (1996, 2001) and also received that honor from the fourth-year dental students (2000). He was twice recognized as "Instructor of the Year" by the dental fraternity Delta Sigma Delta, in 1999 and 2000.
Professor Billy is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics and serves as an examiner for the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners for the specialty of prosthodontics. He is an interviewer for U.S. Navy scholarship programs, and is a member of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry Admissions Committee. He has published a number of articles in the leading professional journals.
The Regents now salute this distinguished faculty member by naming Edward J. Billy clinical professor emeritus of dentistry.