Dr. Ernesto Acuña Esnaurrizar 1938-2024

Dr. Ernesto Acuña Esnaurrizar was born in Mexico City on June 22, 1938. He came from a family line in which he was the fourth generation of dental professionals. When he was very young, he started working at the family’s dental office. His grandfather introduced him to help them out at the clinic when Dr. Ernesto was only in 5^th grade. He used to clean dental instruments and do easy chores in the dental lab.

After some time, he decided to go to Dental School following his family tradition. In 1958, he started his professional studies at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico in Mexico City. He was a very active student and was a member of the Student Association in 1960. He started his dental office very early on and, in 1967, became an active member of the Mexican Dental Association and the Dental Association in Mexico City. In 1973, he had his first appointment at the Dental Association at the Public Relations Committee, and he has never stopped ever since, with his excellent work on different appointments at many Dental and Professional Associations as well as in Humanitarian institutions.

In 1977, he was elected President of the Mexican Dental Association, where he presided from 1979 until 1981. He was the President of the executive committee for the Foreign Direct Investment International Meeting in Mexico City back in 1999, which was one of the most important dental International Meetings in Mexican History. He was also elected World President for the International College of Dentists in 1983 and then he became a Master at the same institution in 2014. After several appointments at the Pierre Fauchard Academy, including trustee for Region 7 Latin America. He was elected as World President in 2013.

Dr. Acuña was a strong Fellow of the Academy of Dentistry International (ADI) and provided major support in establishing and growing the Mexican and South and Central America Sections of ADI. For more than 55 years, Dr. Acuña traveled worldwide, working tirelessly for Mexican and International Dental Associations. Ernesto said that his successful trajectory came from his passion for the dental profession but mostly from the great support and love of his wife Laura Luque, with whom he was married for over 60 years; their daughter, two sons, and their seven grandchildren gave him.

Undoubtedly Ernesto set an example to be followed. Sadly, he passed away on Sunday, February 18^th, 2024, after a long battle in which he never surrendered to disease.

A friend and colleague of many in our world,

May he Rest in Peace.