Prophet, Arthur Shelley ( - 2003)
by
 
A G Alexander

Asset Name
E010404 - Prophet, Arthur Shelley ( - 2003)

Title
Prophet, Arthur Shelley ( - 2003)

Author
A G Alexander

Identifier
RCS: E010404

Publisher
The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Publication Date
2023-08-10

Subject
Medical Obituaries

Description
Obituary for Prophet, Arthur Shelley ( - 2003), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Language
English

Source
IsPartOf Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Date of Death
18 October 2003

Occupation
Dental surgeon

Titles/Qualifications
FDSRCS 1958
 
BDS Manchester 1940
 
DDS 1950
 
CBE 1980
 
FDSRCSI
 
Hon DSc Malta 1987

Details
Arthur Prophet CBE died on l8th October, aged 84. Arthur was Dean of UCH Dental School and subsequently Dean of UCH Medical School. He played a large part in planning the new UCH Dental Hospital and School that opened in 1963. He was educated at Sedbergh School and Manchester University where he graduated BDS with Honours in 1940. He returned there to obtain the Diploma in Bacteriology in 1948 and the DDS in 1950. He was a Fellow in Dental Surgery of the Royal Colleges of England and Ireland, and served in the RNVR from 1941 to 1946. He held a Nuffleld Dental Fellowship from 1946 to 1948. Arthur’s first teaching posts were Lecturer in Dental Bacteriology at Manchester and then Lecturer in Dental Surgery at Belfast. He was appointed to the Chair of Dental Surgery at the University of London and Director of Dental Studies at UCH in 1956. He became dean in 1974 and then Dean of the Medical School in 1977 until he retired in 1983. During his time he was involved in the many changes that took place in the re-organisation of dental and medical education in the university, including the closure and amalgamation of schools eventually incorporating UCH Medical School into University College. Arthur Prophet made an enormous contribution to the dental profession. He was an active and energetic committee man, serving on the General Dental Council, the Board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, the Dental Sub-committee of the UGC and the Committee of Management of the Institute of Dental Surgery. He served on the Bloomsbury Health Authority and was a Consultant Dental Adviser to the DHSS. In 1987 he was made an honorary DSc at the University of Malta and was appointed CBE in 1980 for his services to Dentistry. In spite of all his commitments Arthur played an active role in his dental school where the students held him in high regard and affection. He dealt with their problems with great kindness and sympathy and established a fair and liberal admissions policy. He brought distinction to the school through his work, the eponymous lectures he delivered and his publications. His house surgeon post was the most highly sought junior post and many of his house surgeons have gone on to achieve great distinction. On retirement he moved to the New Forest and developed his golf and gardening, but he never lost his interest in dentistry in general and the progress and achievements of his students in particular. In the last few years of his life he suffered a disabling stroke, which caused him much frustration, but he bore it with fortitude and with the tremendous support of his wife Vivienne and their two sons and their families. It was a source of great comfort to his wife that he was able to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary at the end of September. All his friends, colleagues and former students will miss him. Our thoughts go out to Vivienne and to his sons and their families.

Sources
Material from: Alexander AG. ‘Arthur Shelley Prophet’ *British Dental Journal* 194 228 [2003] reproduced with permission of SNCSC

Rights
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Collection
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Format
Obituary

Format
Asset

Asset Path
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E010000-E010999/E010400-E010499