Dr. Ronald F. Borer 1936 – 2025
Dr. Ronald F. Borer passed away March 9, 2025 at the age of 88. As the former associate dean for clinical services, Borer touched thousands of lives—including students, colleagues, faculty, staff, patients and alumni—during his tenure at the dental school.
Born in Fremont, Ohio, Borer parlayed his love of sports into a college football career at Xavier University. A 1961 graduate of Loyola University Dental School in Chicago, he received his endodontic training while serving in the U.S. Navy in San Diego, California. He practiced in Cincinnati, Ohio, and discovered a passion for teaching at University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. Dental school classmate Dr. Jim Pride, an associate dean at the Dugoni School at the time, asked Borer to join him in San Francisco to launch a new strategic teaching initiative. In 1971, Borer became one of the two original group practice administrators and helped implement the comprehensive patient care model. In 1993, he became associate dean of clinical services.
Borer was a fellow of the American and International College of Dentists, served as president of the San Francisco chapter of the Xavier University Alumni Association for 20 years and was a member of the Dugoni School Foundation Board. He received the Alumni Association’s prestigious Medallion of Distinction in 1998 and the University’s Order of the Pacific in 2001 for his outstanding contributions. Borer retired to Sonoma in 2000, turning his focus to landscaping, art, wine, his home and spending time with family and friends. He was a special and true educator, administrator, colleague, endodontist extraordinaire, philanthropist, mentor and friend to many. He was also a role model for the school’s defining characteristic of humanism.
Dr. William M. Carpenter 1941 – 2025
Dr. William M. Carpenter passed away on January 24, 2025 in San Francisco at the age of 84. “Carp” was a beloved member of the Dugoni School family for decades, serving as a professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine.
Raised in Pennsylvania, he received a DDS degree in 1964 from University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, earned a master’s degree in oral pathology from George Washington University and trained at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.
He joined the dental school in 1986, dedicating most of his academic career to leading the Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine and co-directing Pacific’s Oral Pathology Lab. His enthusiasm for knowledge, humor and humility left a lasting impression on colleagues and students alike. Carpenter was also diplomate and examiner for the American Board of Oral Medicine and served as president of the American Academy of Oral Medicine from 1993 to 1994.
In 2014, he retired and was honored with the Order of Pacific Award, the university’s highest distinction. He also received the Alumni Association’s Medallion of Distinction in 2018 for his exceptional contributions and service. Before his tenure at the dental school, he proudly served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years. A commitment to teaching, scholarship and service marked his military and academic careers. He embodied the best in professional learning, humanistic teaching and the joy of life. He will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Dr. Peter F. Chase 1945 – 2025
Dr. Peter F. Chase passed away at age of 79 on January 16, 2025. He was more than a dentist and educator—he was an innovator and pioneer in the field of orofacial pain, TMD and sleep medicine and a mentor to countless students.
Born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon, he received his DDS degree at Creighton University in 1971. Chase enlisted as a captain in the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps, where he completed a hospital-based General Practice Residency in 1972. Settling in South Lake Tahoe in 1975, Chase built a thriving private practice and was deeply involved in the community, serving as president of the South Tahoe Unified School District Board and an active member of Toastmasters International.
With a relentless curiosity and a growing passion for airway-focused dentistry, Chase made a bold decision in 1990—he sold his practice, moved to the Bay Area and joined the Dugoni School of Dentistry. Chase served as director of the Orofacial Disorders Center at the Dugoni School of Dentistry from 1990 to 2010, and pioneered multidisciplinary approaches to treating TMD and obstructive sleep apnea. He earned a master’s degree in educational psychology and counseling in 1994, shaping the way future dentists approached the integration of sleep medicine and oral health. During his tenure, he taught more than 3,000 dental students, many of whom went on to incorporate his progressive airway, sleep and musculoskeletal philosophies into their own practices. He was a founding and credentialing board member of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, and his research and clinical expertise influenced every corner of the field.