It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Professor Newell Johnson who was a Professor of Oral Pathology and Head for Department at the (then) London Hospital Medical College for over a decade, until his appointment as the Director of the Medical Research Council Dental Research Unit and Nuffield Research Professor of Dental Sciences, at the Royal College of Surgeons England in the mid-1980s.
After high school, he undertook compulsory military service in Australia. He served in a Signals Unit and undertook his work with so much commitment and enthusiasm that his superiors were disappointed when he returned to civilian life after his period of service.
Newell graduated from the University of Melbourne in the early 1960s. Then he completed an MDSc at the same University before coming to the UK to undertake further postgraduate studies. He undertook electron microscopic studies of caries in enamel under legendary Professor Arthur Darling at Bristol. This seminal work earned Newell a PhD in 1970. Then he came to “The London” where he was appointed as a Reader in Experimental Oral Pathology in the Department of Oral Pathology headed by Professor AEW Miles. This was a unique appointment at the time. In addition to setting up the Master’s Course in Experimental Oral Pathology in 1971 he also launched the “Topic Teaching Course in Dental Caries” programme, the first integrated course of its kind at the time. This brought together pathologists, restorative dentists, oral surgeons and dental public health professionals to deliver the course, the content of which was published as a textbook titled “Dental Caries - Aetiology, Pathology and Prevention” in 1981.
In the 1980s, he headed the MRC Periodontal diseases Research Programme at The London. After completion of this programme, he was appointed as the Nuffield Professor of Dental Sciences at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Then he accepted a Chair at King’s College London.
Following his retirement from King’s in 2005 Newell took up the position of the Foundation Dean/Head of School of Dentistry & Oral Health, Griffith University, Australia; and Professor of Dental Research, Griffith University, Australia. From 2009 and till recently he served as a Senior Fellow, Menzies Health Institute Queensland; Director of Population Oral Health; Senior Member of Infectious Diseases and Immunology Group; Cancer Research Centre.
Newell was a Fellow in Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of Eng. (FDSRCS) 1966, Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS) 1967, Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD), University of Bristol, 1970, Member of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK, (MRC Path), 1982 Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, (FRCPath) 1996, Fellow of the Faculty of Oral Pathology of the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia 1998, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci, UK).
Newell’s Honours include the International Association for Dental Research Distinguished Scientist Award in Oral Medicine and Pathology, 2005; Distinguished Scientist Award for International Oral Health from the International Association for Dental Research, 2017; the John Tomes Medal of the British Dental Association for Outstanding Service to the Profession and the Association, 2004; election as President, Section of Odontology, Royal Society of Medicine [London] for their bicentenary year, 2004-5; and he served as President of the British Society for Dental Research for 2004-6; In 2011 Newell was granted Honorary Life Membership of the British Society for Oral Medicine. The most senior honour was appointment by Her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II as a Companion of the Most Excellent Order of St Michael and St George (SMG) in 2011 for services to oral health and to public health internationally.
Newell was a prolific researcher and during his long academic career was supervisor to 30 successful PhD students. He was much loved by his trainees, particularly those who came to the UK for postgraduate studies from the Commonwealth countries. Newell had a remarkable drive in all research activities he conducted on dental caries, periodontal diseases, tropical diseases affecting the oral cavity and oral cancer. He authored many textbooks, published over 600 research articles with a citation index of 35400.
Newell was 85 years old at the time of his death and is survived by his first wife Pauline and his two daughters Sarah and Nicola, their partners, Luke, and Murray and 3 grandchildren, Reuben, India and Aurora. His second wife Jeannette died in 2016.
Newell had a passion for oral pathology and medicine that ignited the interest of his juniors and students. He brought a level of intellectual curiosity and passion for the subject that was irresistible. He had a significant influence in setting the direction of the career of many and has influenced the careers of generations of academics across the globe for over 50 years. He will be greatly missed by so many of us.