Anthony R. Volpe, DDS, MS, Colgate executive, international dental researcher, philanthropist Dr. Anthony R. Volpe, 87, who came from an immigrant family in Newark, New Jersey, to become an internationally-recognized dental researcher and global representative for the Colgate-Palmolive Company, died in Somerset, New Jersey, on October 8. Dr. Volpe had more than five decades of experience in clinical dental research, preventive dentistry, and dental scientific affairs with more than 250 scientific publications and presentations worldwide, as well as many U.S. patents. He officially retired at age 80 as Vice President of Clinical Research and Scientific Affairs at Colgates Technology Center in Piscataway, New Jersey, but remained active until recently. Tony was former president of the American Dental Associations Foundation and served on many boards, including the Foundation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped. The Dr. Anthony Volpe Research Center at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was named for him in 2012. The facility, jointly operated by the ADA and the ADA Foundation, conducts research in biomaterial and tissue engineering. At Ohio State University, the Volpe Prize has been awarded for the best clinical research in periodontology by students from dental academic institutions in North and South America. At Rutgers University, Dr. Volpe helped create educational programs and fund the construction of several capital projects. In 2001, he initiated a scholarship awarded to fourth-year students who excel in periodontics. A 2018 gift to Rutgers by Dr. Volpe and his wife, Marlene M. Volpe, established the Anthony R. Volpe DDS MS Endowed Scholarship, given annually to a third-year pre-doctoral student who ranks in the top 25 percent of the class and is in need of financial aid. Tony was inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2015. Interviewed at that time, he said, "Its clear in life, the more you give the more you get….I would like my legacy to be, I remember Tony. He gave a lot more than he took. " He added, "I was fortunate enough to receive a dental education that gave me all the successes Ive had in life. Its an incentive to give back. The Volpes also supported many cultural organizations. The Anthony and Marlene Volpe Gallery at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers showcases exhibits of European art. They funded childrens programs at the Museum as well. In 2017, the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey, honored them with the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award for their longtime support. Tony received a Bachelor of Science Degree in chemistry from Seton Hall University in 1954, a Doctorate Degree in Dental Surgery as one of 36 dental graduates in the inaugural class of the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry in 1960 (now Rutgers School of Dental Medicine), and a Master of Science Degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers in 1966. In 1998, he was awarded an honorary degree in dentistry (Dottore in Odontoiatria) from the Dental Faculty of the University of Rome. Dr. Volpe has been a Clinical Professor of Pharmacology at the Fairleigh-Dickinson University School of Dentistry and a Clinical Professor of Periodontics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey Dental School. Tony served on technical committees of major worldwide dental organizations, including the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), the American Dental Association (ADA), the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Federation Dentaire Internationale (FDI). He has been president of the Essex County Dental Association, Vice-President and Trustee of the Academy of Medicine of New Jersey and Editor of the Journal of the New Jersey Dental Association. From 1997 to 2003, he served as president of the American Dental Associations Foundation and in 2004 was presented with its Distinguished Service Award. Also, he was honored with the American Association of Public Health Dentistrys Special Merit Award as well as the Hadassah Special Award from the Hebrew University in Israel. After college and before dental school, he served in the military as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Later, Tony opened a dental practice in Nutley, New Jersey, before joining Colgate-Palmolive where he worked for 52 years. At Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr. Volpe was fortunate to have met Dr. John Manhold, chair of the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology. "He taught me all about research, and we worked together on many projects," Dr. Volpe said. One was the Volpe-Manhold Index, a standardized method for measuring dental tartar, developed while Volpe was at Colgate. In 1963, while a young dentist, Tony married Marlene M. Adams, and they were together for nearly 57 years. She predeceased him by a few months in June 2020. He is survived his brother, Rocco Peter (Pete) Volpe and his sister-in-law Gertrud Adams, as well as many cousins. A joint service for both Dr. and Mrs. Volpe was private. Born in Newark, Dr. Volpe was raised in a large Italian-American family and learned both Italian and English as a child. He sometimes accompanied his grandfather, Antonio, who worked in the Newark area as a self-employed carpenter and cabinet maker. He was fiercely proud of his Italian upbringing by immigrant grandparents, who instilled in him the moral values and religious beliefs that guided him through life. He never lived outside of New Jersey nor did his mind ever leave Newark. These roots inspired him to do whatever possible to aid those in need, no matter where in the world such needs occurred. A prime example of his global vision was recognized by the Oral Health Alliance in 2015 when he assisted in the dental undertaking titled, "Bridges to Peace." This involved the seminal exchange of students between the Hebrew and Palestinian dental schools, with that collaboration becoming one step toward a more comprehensive peace initiative. Privileged to have a private audience with Pope John Paul II, Tony chose the occasion to speak about unmet dental needs in underdeveloped nations rather than discuss personal matters. A friend of Dr. Volpes, Dr. Gary Vitaletti, stated: "Those of us fortunate to have had personal interaction with him also came to know Tony the Person. He became instantly animated when speaking about Newark -- both old and new -- his dental school alma mater, good friends from the OKU Dental Honor Society, or his countless friends from around the world. Anyone listening would never guess his professional celebrity." "The overriding constant in Tonys life was his love and devotion for Marlene. She was the major anchor of his moral compass and equal partner in using their combined resources to benefit the underprivileged. Anyone who came into their acquaintance sphere was grateful God granted them the longevity they enjoyed." Memorial donations may be made to: Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Dean's Excellence Fund and the Anthony R. Volpe, DDS, MS Endowed Scholarship. Please copy the link and paste in the browser: http://give.rutgers.edu/VolpeScholarship Checks are made out to Rutgers University Foundation and mailed to: Rutgers University Foundation, Box 193, New Brunswick, NJ 08903.