The American Society of Dental Anesthesiology (ADSA) is deeply saddened to report the passing of one of its most highly regarded members, Stuart E. Lieblich, DMD, after a 6-month battle with esophageal cancer. Dr Lieblich’s extensive curriculum vitae places him among the brightest luminaries in many academic and clinical disciplines. As he was to receive the 2024 Heidbrink Award, the ADSA’s highest honor, it was posthumously awarded on March 16, 2024, during the ADSA Annual Session in Las Vegas, NV.
Dr Lieblich was an accomplished surgeon from Avon, CT, spending more than 40 years in the private practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery. He was also a clinical professor and held faculty appointments at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and Weill Cornell School of Medicine. Dr Lieblich completed his predoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania and his oral and maxillofacial residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. He was a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) and the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology (NDBA). He was a past president of the ADSA (1999–2001) and the ABOMS (2009–2010). Dr Lieblich was a founding board member and a current director of the Dental Patient Safety Foundation and a current director of the NDBA. He published numerous articles and textbooks and was past section editor for the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr Lieblich was a frequent contributor and peer reviewer for Dental Anesthesia Online and was a member of the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Patient safety was Dr Lieblich’s calling card. It is ironic that the countless people whose lives he may have indirectly saved are not even aware of his existence. But Stu persevered without hesitation or reward for he knew safety was the greatest legacy he could leave behind for others to follow. He was selfless, forever inclusive, and endlessly supportive of his countless friends and colleagues.
When you looked at Stu (and this was his secret sauce), it was impossible to tell if he was working or playing, and only in this sense can one appreciate the essence of his beautiful life—a true master in the art of living. Stu drew no distinction between labor and leisure, mind and body, or education and recreation. He hardly knew which was which. He simply pursued his vision of excellence as applied to whatever he was doing and left others to determine whether he was at work or play.
Dr Lieblich has bequeathed a significant donation to the ADSA Anesthesia Research Foundation (ARF). Memorial donations to the ADSA ARF in his name are welcome and will be used to advance patient safety.
Stu is survived by his wife, Dr Lisabeth Shlansky, and his 2 children, Brett and Margot. Someone like Stu comes around only once in a lifetime. May his memory be a blessing.
Submitted by:
Robert C. Bosack, DDS