Karl-Åke Omnell DDS PhD
Former Dean, School of Dentistry, University of Washington and former Dean, School of Dentistry, Malmo, Sweden.
Karl-Åke was born August 22, 1926, in Lulea Sweden. He graduated from the Royal Dental School in Stockholm in 1950 and started working in private practice but soon became engaged in research and the academic field of dentistry. The relatively new department of Medical Physics at the Karolinska Institute Stockholm offered an opportunity for research within the field of radiation physics which resulted in his highly acclaimed doctoral thesis on the radiographic detection of small mass differences in bone mineral in vivo. He defended his thesis in 1957 as the youngest dentist ever to obtain this degree. From his experiences at the Karolinska Institute he carried with him the importance of collaboration with other sciences and institutions. He soon became a prominent leader within his field, oral radiology, not only in Sweden but also around the world. He was appointed Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Radiology in Stockholm 1960 and in 1961 Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Oral Radiology in Malmo, Sweden, again as the youngest within his field to have reached this position. He served as Dean of the School of Dentistry, in Malmo between 1971 and 1974 and was a few years later recruited as Clinical Director of the Dental Services at the National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland. In 1981 Karl-Åke was recruited as Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of Washington, Seattle where he served with distinction for 11 years before stepping down from this position 1991. He thereafter continued with teaching and research as Professor in the UW Dental School's Division of Oral Radiology, Department of Oral Medicine. He retired completely in 2007 at the age of 80.
His organizational and analytical skills are reflected in the many improvements he made in the departments and schools that saw him as their leader. His dedication as a teacher and researcher is illustrated by numerous publications, textbooks, and worldwide lecturing as well as several awards and Honorary Doctorates. At the UW, he engaged pedagogical expertise to stimulate interest in improving teaching and evaluation of students. Karl-Åke strived for a Dental School where the different departments and divisions came together and were working towards the same goal; to graduate skilled and competent dentists. He was always aware that the most important part of the education was the resulting learning by the students.
Karl-Åke was one of the driving forces behind the creation of a specialty in Oral Maxillofacial Radiology in Sweden. Through his persuasion some regional public dental health directors employed Oral Maxillofacial Radiologists in Regional Hospitals to provide specialized competence and to serve the dentists and physicians in the region even before the specialty was formally recognized.
In his role as a teacher and mentor he never failed to try to help and inspire his young and aspiring colleagues and over the years a large number of leaders within our field were recruited among his former "trainees". In addition his generous welcome of international visiting scholars has over the years accumulated a great number of colleagues who remember this time with gratitude. To facilitate interaction and integration of these visitors he and his wife Lena were frequently hosting dinners and gatherings in their home for friends and colleagues where everyone felt warmly welcomed.
Early on he also recognized the great importance of exchanging views and experiences to widen knowledge and understanding, as well as to satisfy his own natural inquisitiveness by interacting with colleagues from other regions and countries. He regularly participated in international meetings and in 1964 was inspired to create a meeting of Scandinavian oral radiologists, arranging the first meeting in Falsterbo, Sweden. This was followed by bi-annual meetings around the Nordic countries. In 1968, the International Association of Dental and Maxillo-Facial Radiology (IADMFR) was created at an international meeting in Chile followed by the 2nd congress in 1971 in Erlangen, Germany at which Karl-Åke was elected President-elect to be responsible for the 4th congress in 1977 in Malmo, Sweden. During his term of Presidency he proposed and instituted regulations and procedures which resulted in an organization that went from being in the red to a more solvent body attracting a great number of new members which eventually lead to the large and strong organization it is today.
Karl-Åke had time for other activities and a rich family life thanks to his never failing energy. Quite intensely he pursued photography. In earlier years he took beautiful pictures of the South Swedish landscape and after acquiring a pilot license became aware of the beauty of the region as seen from above and he started to skillfully document this with his camera (although not while piloting himself). When he was appointed Dean at the UW he had already been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but he carried on with his work and life with unfaltering energy for many years. In Seattle, he continued his passion for photography but changed the focus to flowers. His involvement with the Conservatory in Volunteer Park led to a formal photographic documentation of their orchids. In addition to providing the Conservatory with an image library of the orchids he built a slide show accompanied by music that harmonized with the visual delight. This resulted in an official acknowledgment and a Leonard P. Johnson Bromeliad Award by the Friends of the Conservatory. Karl-Åke continued his love affair with photography and developed his technique, including darkroom procedures, to create beautiful images of flowers and their details, some of which are on display in the UW Hospital, Harborview, the Dental School and private collections. His interest in the arts encompassed many art forms but perhaps especially glass art by local and other artists. He and his wife Lena were keen supporters of the Pilchuck Glass School.
Karl-Åke had many things to be proud of but he never became boisterous; he let the facts speak for themselves and that was eloquent enough. He definitely demanded more of himself than of anyone else and in this respect served as an important role model and as an inspiration. He often said: "Remember the day has only 24 hours, so utilize them well" He certainly did. Karl-Åke's final years were spent surrounded by his family and friends and enjoying the pristine beauty of his island home.
Karl-Åke is survived by his wife, Lena, and children, Marie Omnell-Persson, Anne Omnell-Walden, Magnus, Victor, Anna-Karina (Omnell) Smith, Bodil and ten grandchildren.
A private family Memorial Service will be held at his request. Memorial gifts can be made to Dean Karl-Ake Omnell Endowed Scholarship Fund. UW Foundation, 407 Gerberding Hall, Seattle, WA 98195 or to Doctors Without Borders, 333, 7th AVE, New York, NY 10001-5004
Arrangements are under the care of Gilbertson Funeral Home, Stanwood, WA.