Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan Dental School
1957
Bio:
Background information is quoted from the Philip Jay, University of Michigan article, "In Memoriam" found on the World Wide Web. "Russell Welford Bunting was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on June 2, 1881. After attending Ann Arbor elementary and high schools, he entered the University of Michigan School of Dentistry where he received his D.D.S. in 1902 and D.D.Sc. in 1908. In recognition of his many accomplishments and his particular interest in the organization of the School of Dentistry at the University of Detroit, the University granted him the honorary degree of doctor of science in 1957. Dr. Bunting served continuously on the faculty of the University of Michigan from the time he was appointed instructor in 1903 until he retired as dean in 1950... Dr. Bunting became interested in oral pathology and in the teaching of periodontics, but his greatest attention was devoted to dental carie research. His original and solitary investigations in this area prepared him to guide the dental caries research project, which was made possible by a substantial grant from the Children's Fund of Michigan. With this support, Dr. Bunting selected a group of nutritionists, biochemists, and bacteriologists with the eventual goal of determining some of the physiological differences that he knew must exist between highly susceptible and caries-free individuals.... Dr. Bunting is best known for his observations concerning the role of lactobacilli and carbohydrates in human dental caries... Dr. Bunting became deeply interested in the observed inverse relationship between dental caries and mottled enamel. He was especially impressed by the fact that, aside from the low prevalence of dental caries, the lesions themselves were quite different in character - being more discrete and involving less of the tooth surface.... After retirement from the University, Dr. Bunting devoted his energy to some of the problems in United States Federal Civil Defense." Dr. Bunting's honorary degree was conferred as part of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the University of Detroit School of Dentistry.