Smiles we remember: Dr. Hershall Leinneweber Jr.

“There’s a person attached to those teeth. Always remember that,” Dr. Hershall Leinneweber Jr. would tell his dental students at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, gently guiding them in honing their chairside manners.

Leinneweber, a 1970 TAMBCD graduate and retired assistant professor in general dentistry, died Feb. 20. He was 75.

His passing prompted an outpouring of fond remembrances from faculty, staff and alumni of the college, where he served on the faculty from 1999 to 2011.

“What I liked about Hershall was that he liked his job and loved to be around students,” says Dr. Mohsen Taleghani, chair of general dentistry. “He always taught them to be honest and respectful with their patients. He was an excellent role model for our students.”

Taleghani also regarded Leinneweber as a great colleague and friend. The two, along with other faculty members, enjoyed their time away on hiking trips. “I miss him a lot,” Taleghani reflects.

One former student recalled on Leinneweber’s Facebook page being “lucky enough to have him as group leader during our fourth year … we were all so thankful for his kind, gentle way with us and with patients.” Another alumnus thanked him on Facebook for “teaching me to be an excellent dentist but more importantly how to be a better person. Your kindness and humility is something I have always cherished and strived for.”

Leinneweber, who served as a dentist in the Army and established a private practice in Lewisville, Texas, in 1974, was a life member of the Texas Dental Association and a longtime board member of TAMBCD’s alumni association.