“Dentistry has emerged over the last twenty years as a distinct and significant part of clinical veterinary medicine. This emergence as a prominent and accepted science has not come easily nor without controversy in the modality of treatments and in organization. The veterinary dental pioneers faced numerous scientific and technical barriers, as well as lack of acceptance on occasion, by colleagues. However, science embraces and accepts science, and as research continues to link oral health with general health, dentistry is becoming more widely appraised and appreciated.”

This was the opening paragraph from the first edition of this book published by Robert B. Wiggs and Heidi B. Lobprise twenty years ago. So much of that paragraph is still true today; however, because of the foresight of dental pioneers like Bob Wiggs, Don Ross, Tom Mulligan, Sandy Manfra Maretta, Ben Colmery, Chuck Williams, Colin Harvey, Peter Emily, Steve Holmstrom, and Ed Eisner, the practice of veterinary dentistry today is “widely appraised and appreciated” over these last 40 years.

This book is dedicated to the memory of Robert Bruce (Bob) Wiggs for his vision, his knowledge, his perseverance, and his unending selflessness to advance the level of dentistry in private (and specialty) practice throughout the world. His memory is in the hearts of countless veterinarians whose personal knowledge and skills improved because of Bob's willingness to share with anyone who would ask for help. Bob never asked for anything in return.

Mike Peak had this to say about Bob: “When I started my residency with Dr. Wiggs, I was pretty green and no doubt had a lot to learn. I had been ‘doing’ dentistry for 4–5 years before beginning the residency and knew ‘how’ to do procedures, but didn't have the depth of understanding and knowledge ‘why’ certain procedures were done one way vs. another. I can remember Dr. Wiggs helping me understand certain oral pathologies and treatments, that at the time, in some cases seemed unorthodox. On more than one occasion, I thought for certain he was wrong about what he was telling me. I can remember thinking, ‘this just can't be right’ or ‘there’s no way he's right about that’. However, once I researched the literature, or we saw the case through its entirety, it turned out he was right EVERY time. It is amazing, even to this day, I see diseases that have now been more thoroughly investigated and he continues to be right!”

Another colleague, Gregg DuPont, added, “Dr. Bob Wiggs, the lead co‐author of the first edition of this book, inspired countless veterinarians to increase their knowledge of dentistry and to improve their level of dental care for their patients. He shared his skills and his wealth of knowledge readily and selflessly with anyone who wanted to learn more about veterinary dentistry. Bob was a good friend who possessed an uncommon combination of knowledge, generosity, and down‐to‐earth common sense that made time spent together delightful. The field of veterinary dentistry is a better one for his contributions, actions and interactions.”

According to Ed Eisner and Steve Holmstrom, Robert Bruce Wiggs was a renaissance man. He was a pioneer of the 1970s dental evolution in veterinary medicine. His closest friends saw many sides of Bob. He was, on the one hand, very proud of his Scottish heritage (Bruce the Fierce), and his Texas roots (1st generation Texas Ranger Ben Wills, known for his integrity as well as his toughness). As a member of one of the “Indian Companies”, Ranger Wills helped bring in alive the infamous Commanche renegade, Quantos Parker, in the 1860s.

Bob practiced with a high level of ethics and professional discipline, as well as being known for his dry sense of humor. In the 1980s, before the advent of internet “list serves”, Bob organized a dental support group that he nicknamed after one of his favorite comedy groups, The Three Stooges. There were actually five stooges, and this group shared the nuances of all stooges being Presidents of the newly forming American Veterinary Dental College, all were national and international speakers, and all were published authors. The Stooges also boasted a fierce professional football rivalry, Larry championing his Dallas Cowboys, Curly the Denver Broncos, Moe the SF 49ers, Shemp the Philadelphia Eagles, and Curly Joe the Seattle Seahawks. On the occasion of a Cowboys loss, Larry was a good sport. The Stooges were also known for their practical jokes. Among other pranks, they traditionally, at the annual Veterinary Dental Conference, short‐sheeted the bed of the incoming Dental College President. When it was Bob's turn, as incoming president, and he was cheerfully asked how he had slept the night before, Bob said “very soundly, thank you”. He had slept on top of the covers, innocent of the ongoing shenanigans. There will never be another Bob, or “Larry”.

On a more serious note, Dr. Wiggs was a meticulous innovator of dental instruments, hammering out the first set of winged elevators for his small animal dental practice. He also headed up the laboratory animal care unit at the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas (now known as the Texas A & M College of Dentistry), and donated his time and expertise in providing dental care for the animals at the Dallas Zoo, the Fort Worth Zoo, and area wild animal sanctuaries. He had gifted hands for oral surgery and the high quality of his procedures were acknowledged both throughout the United States and abroad. Animals of all species benefited by his dental expertise and tireless efforts on their behalf.

Dr. Bob Wiggs' ability to personally share his knowledge of dentistry ceased on November 29, 2009, but his influence on all of us will continue indefinitely.