David Di Biase

David Domenic Di Biase
Born	1935 Kingston, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Died	June 30, 2001(2001-06-30) (aged 66)
Education	King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Known for	Inventor of the Southend Clasp
Relatives	Moyra (wife) Judy (daughter) Andrew (son) James(son)
Profession	Dentist
Institutions	Royal Air Force Southend Hospital Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry
Specialism	Orthodontics
Research	Cleft lip and palate
Notable prizes	Chapman Prize Clifford Ballard Medal

David Domenic Di Biase (1935–2001) was a British dentist. He was best known for developing, together with Arthur Levis (1927–2000), Chief Dental Technician at Southend General Hospital, the Southend Clasp, a widely used retention component used on removable orthodontic appliances.

Education

Di Biase studied dentistry at King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He graduated with Honours, followed by a short Service Commission in the Royal Air Force(RAF) between 1961 and 1963. On completion he obtained his Fellowship and Diploma in Orthodontics. During his senior registrar training he won the prestigious Chapman Prize.

Dental career

In 1971 he was appointed Consultant Orthodontist at Southend Hospital. He relinquished sessions in Southend in 1989 to join the teaching staff in the Orthodontic Department at Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry.

He had an inquisitive and inventive mind, developing ideas such as ‘The Southend Clasp’, which is now in wide use throughout the specialty. His other particular interest was in dento-facial orthopaedics for cleft neonates. As a clinician, David was widely recognised for his outstanding abilities. He was a caring, thinking, orthodontist, always having the patient's requirements in mind. He had an impressive list of publications, and was in constant demand as both a National and International Lecturer.

Besides his clinical commitments, he played an important political role in dentistry. His overwhelming passion was to see the divided orthodontic specialty in the United Kingdom united under one organisation. To this end he acted as ‘midwife’ to the developing British Orthodontic Society (BOS). He was the first chairman of conference and followed as first chairman of the newly constituted British Orthodontic Society and later as president. His greatest asset as a chairman was his conciliation ability, and without him there would be no BOS. He was also secretary and president of the Essex branch of the British Dental Association.

David also served on national organisations, being an elected member of the General Dental Council and he sat on the Standing Dental Advisory Committee Orthodontic Review Group.

In his personal life Di Biase had three passions, his family, art and rugby football. His name indicates that he came from an Italian background, which may explain his impressive knowledge of art. As a rugby player he played for ‘King’s College Hospital', ‘Saracens’ and the RAF.

Persondata
Name	Di Biase, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1935-06-01
Place of birth	Kingston, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Date of death	2001-06-30
Place of death