Dr. Larry Keith Hildebrand, a native of Oak Hill, West Virginia, passed away at his home in Gallatin, Tennessee on June 18th, one day shy of his 71st birthday, after battling through corticobasal degeneration, an atypical Parkinson syndrome. He was a devoted husband, proud father of five daughters, and cherished grandfather.
Keith’s journey in dentistry began when he became the first male dental hygienist in the state of West Virginia, earning his degree from the West Virginia University Institute of Technology. In 1976, he was admitted to the WVU School of Dentistry DDS program, graduating in 1980. Driven by a passion for his field, he completed a post-doctorate degree in endodontics from WVU in 1984.
Following his advanced training, Keith opened a private practice in Huntington, WV where he provided expert care to patients for many years. In 2014, he joined the faculty of the WVU School of Dentistry, serving as acting chairperson of the Endodontics Department and director of the pre-doctoral endodontics program.
He was deeply involved in organized dentistry throughout his career, serving as president of the Huntington Dental Society, the Monongahela Valley Dental Society, and the West Virginia Dental Association, where he was installed as president in 2005. Additionally, he held leadership roles as president of the West Virginia Society of Endodontists and section chairperson of the West Virginia American College of Dentists. He was a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. In 2020, he received the WVU School of Dentistry Distinguished Alumnus Award.
