Obituary: Richard Horner
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- Published: Wednesday, 26 September 2012 18:02
- Written by Tony Jacobs
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| The death of Richard Horner, the founder of the Scope Group and the man who initiated the concept of mouth cancer awareness within the dental profession, has provoked a wave of sadness in the dental world.
Known well among the profession’s key opinion formers, the dental media and the dental trade, there can be no dentist working today who has not in some way been touched by Richard’s work, whether through articles and editorials in the media, client mailings or his work in the field of mouth cancer. |
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For more than two decades, Richard represented many of the best known dental company names, offering a range of services, from brand development to media planning and editorial services. But his work was far from limited to a provision of services.
He understood and valued research and had a flair for writing beautifully honed evidence-based articles. He also had a consummate talent for professional relations - bringing together people with the aim of advancing knowledge and improving communications to patients.
For four years he worked for Johnson & Johnson on their Listerine account and set up their National Advisory Panel. Under the chairmanship of Professor Nairn Wilson, this was a body of influential people who discussed research findings and shared knowledge, taking away a new insight into the challenges that face the profession.
The Scope Group was established in 1990. Before then he had worked in a marketing capacity for Dentsply for many years and acquired extensive understanding of the dental world. Many tributes have poured in since his death on September 21st and his contribution to the profession was put on record at a recent BDA Witness Seminar into the dental press. There is no doubt of the legacy he leaves, outstandingly the professionalism which set a bar in dental media.
Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation said: “He made an invaluable contribution in assembling all the key stakeholders together to create the first Mouth Cancer Awareness Week. Nearly 15 years on it has now grown to be the UK's largest awareness raising event for Mouth Cancer, a condition about which Richard remained passionate throughout his later years.”
Richard would no doubt appreciate the irony that his funeral on October 5th should fall right in the middle of BDTA Showcase, where over many years he was a well known figure. In 2012 he will no doubt be celebrated and missed in equal measure.
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