The last of the first dentists

The recent demise of Dr John H. Mercieca at the venerable age of 90 marks the end of an era for the dental profession. Dr Mercieca was the last surviving graduate of the first course of Dental Surgery at the University of Malta (1933-1937). His commitment to the dental profession was remarkable. He dedicated selflessly all his life to serving on the various committees and boards that promoted the interests of dentistry.

On October 10, 1987, marking Dr Mercieca's golden jubilee, Professor John M. Portelli paid tribute to him, thanking him for his long and unselfish devotion to dentistry, having served us with dignity on the faculty Board of Dental Surgery as well as the Administrative and Executive Boards of the Medical Council.

Despite his humble and unassuming manners, Dr Mercieca was a man of strong and passionate convictions. Stamp collecting must have been one of his first major interests. He had told me that he had sold his first watch at the age of 13 to buy himself stamps. For the rest of his life he was a keen and active member of the Malta Philatelic Society. He was also a highly educated person and knew eight languages, including Russian, German and Swedish.

I got to know him shortly after my graduation in 1970. At the time, he was president of the Dental Association, a post he held for 20 years. He had an almost fanatical zeal for the upholding of ethics and comradeship among his fellow dentists and nothing hurt him more than apathy, indifference and unethical behaviour. Above all, he was a gentleman. Even his reprimands were expressed in a firm but friendly manner.

Till the very end, Dr Mercieca remained concerned and interested in the future of his chosen profession and hardly ever failed to attend functions of the Dental Association. His consistently upright behaviour won the admiration and respect of us all. May his ethical standards and love for the profession act as a beacon for his fellow dentists.