In Memoriam: Dr. Henry H. Takei
The co-founder of UCLA's Periodontics Residency Program, and leading clinician in the field for more than five decades, was 88.
The UCLA School of Dentistry mourns the passing of Distinguished Clinical Professor Emeritus of Periodontics Henry H. Takei, D.D.S., M.S., who died on July 29 at the age of 88.
A beloved educator, mentor, clinician, and internationally recognized leader in periodontics, Dr. Takei devoted nearly six decades to advancing periodontal education and patient care while shaping generations of dental professionals at UCLA and around the world.
Dr. Takei joined the faculty in 1967, shortly after the School’s founding, and helped build what would become one of the nation's premier postgraduate periodontics programs. Together with Dr. Fermin Carranza, he co-founded UCLA's Periodontics Residency Program and served as an educator for thousands of dental students, residents, and continuing education participants throughout his distinguished career. Over more than 50 years, he presented more than 600 lectures and seminars worldwide and authored or co-authored numerous influential publications, including serving as co-editor of Carranza's Clinical Periodontology, one of the specialty's most respected textbooks.
Dr. Flavia Q. Pirih, chair of the Division of Regenerative and Reconstructive Sciences and the Tarrson Family Endowed Chair in Periodontics, reflected on Dr. Takei's enduring influence as a mentor and colleague.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Dr. Takei was a true master clinician. Yet beyond his extraordinary clinical legacy, his charisma, generosity, and contagious love of teaching inspired generations of clinicians at UCLA and throughout the world. We will deeply miss his warm smile, boundless positivity, and remarkable presence,” she said.
In addition to his contributions as a teacher and scholar, Dr. Takei was instrumental in strengthening UCLA's international partnerships. He established one of the University's earliest continuing education collaborations with universities in Japan and helped launch a student exchange program – the Dr. Susumu Miyata Endowment for Educational and Cultural Exchange – that has enriched the experiences of hundreds of students and faculty on both sides of the Pacific for more than 30 years. His decades of leadership earned him many prestigious honors, including the American Academy of Periodontology's Master Clinician Award in 2006 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, conferred by the Government of Japan in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to periodontal education.
"Henry Takei embodied the very best of our profession," said Dr. Paul H. Krebsbach, dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry. "His influence reached well beyond UCLA, advancing periodontal education worldwide while fostering a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning that strengthened the profession across cultures and generations."
In 2023, colleagues, alumni, and friends came together to celebrate Dr. Takei's remarkable career through the inaugural Dr. Henry H. Takei Endowed Periodontal Symposium. Established through the generosity of
former students and supporters, the endowed biennial symposium honors his lifelong commitment to education, clinical excellence, research, and service while ensuring that future generations of periodontists continue to benefit from world-class educational programming. The third edition is scheduled for July 31, 2027.
Throughout his career, Dr. Takei often credited his success to the mentors, students, and colleagues who inspired him. In return, he became one of UCLA Dentistry's most influential mentors, remembered not only for his clinical expertise and scholarship but also for his humility, generosity, kindness, and unwavering dedication to teaching.
“Looking back at everything I’ve accomplished, I am grateful to my colleagues and students at UCLA who inspire me to do my best and continue to be a lifelong learner,” Dr. Takei said in this 2020 career retrospective.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, June, son Ryo (Kozue), daughter Akemi Louchheim (David), and grandchildren Arden, Carter, Hana, and Markus.
