Dr. Jim Vernetti receiving the PFA Gold Medal in 1999 at the Meeting in Hawaii
In Memoriam
PFA mourns the passing of Dr. James P. Vernetti (1914-2007), recognized dental leader, teacher, and community activist who passed away due to respiratory failure on 2 April 2007 at the age of 93. He was born in Globe, Arizona, and grew up in Miami, Arizona. He attended the University of Arizona for a year before transferring to USC School of Dentistry, where he graduated with honors in 1937. He practiced dentistry in Coronado, California, for 38 years. Dr. Vernetti was President of the San Diego County Dental Society, the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators, and ACD. He was a Fellow in PFA, ICD, ACD, and ADI. The Southern California PFA presented their Outstanding Dentist of the Year Award to Dr. Vernetti in 1983, and then PFA awarded him their prestigious Gold Medal in 1999.
In 1975 Dr. Vernetti accepted a full professorship at the University of Texas - San Antonio until 1979, when he returned to Coronado and began teaching at Loma Linda and at the UCLA School of Dentistry.
Dr. Vernetti was President of the Coronado Rotary Club and of the Oak Hills Rotary Club. In 1972, Rotary honored him with their Rotarian of the Year Award.
He also received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America and the Lew Hardy Award as Coronado's Distinguished Citizen in 1986. Jim was Founder and first President of the Coronado Little League and of the Coronado Pony League.
But his favorite project was the Thousand Smiles Foundation, an organization devoted to the repair of cleft palates and other facial deformities among the people of Mexico. Our PFA Foundation awarded him several grants for his activities. He served as the Executive Director for Thousand Smiles from 1998 until his death. Working right up to the end, this professional went out ''with his boots on.''
In 2002, Dr. Vernetti was the official Coronado Winter Olympics Torch Bearer. In 2006, Rotary International presented him with their ''Rotary Service Above Self Award.''
Past PFA President Carl Lundgren of Rolling Hills, California, lamented Jim's passing by saying, ''I feel a personal loss because over the last number of years, he was a cheerleader for me. I remember him through the years as a gentle and inspiring teacher of the finest in dental techniques. We are grateful that you have been a part of our lives.''