Prof Francois de Wet qualified as a dentist (BChD – Cum Laude) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 1975. He received four gold medals for academic distinction, including the gold medal of the SA Dental Association for the student with the best academic career.
Francois de Wet obtained a BChD (Hons) degree with distinction in Dental Materials at the end of 1976. In 1978, he concluded his MDent (Cum Laude), and in 1981, he completed the University Education Diploma (Cum Laude), with distinctions in all subjects. In 1996, he was awarded the DSc (Odont) degree (a higher doctorate).
Prof de Wet has received a number of research awards, and is the author of more than 110 scientific publications (excluding more than 120 abstracts), two textbook chapters, and also presented more than 150 papers on dental materials, both locally and in 15 foreign countries, amongst others USA, (ten times) Canada (three times)
Britain (three times) Germany (two times), New Zealand (two times), Holland, Spain, Thailand, Republic of China (Taiwan), Argentina, Israel, etc. In 1985, he spent three months as Visiting Professor at the Dental School in Oklahoma, USA.
He is a Past-President of the SA Division of the IADR, a Past-President of the Dental Materials Group (Founding Member), and a Past-President of the SA Dental Association (Pretoria Branch). He was also the SA respresentative on the IADR Task Force (International) re the Promotion of Research in Developing Regions, where he became the International Chairperson (with representatives from seven diffferent countries). He currently serves as Chairman of the SA Dental Association’s Product Accreditation Panel and internationally as the Chairperson of the “Distinquished Scientist Committee” of the IADR (with 17 subcommittees).
His research is currently focused on resin materials (composites and bonding agents), and he is actively involved in joint research with Dr J David Eick of Kansas City, Missouri, USA, on the evaluation of resin/dentine interfaces, using the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope.
He was appointed Head of the Department of Odontology on 1 March 2007 and has been the Deputy Chairperson of the School of Dentistry since 2002.
Contact details:
Tel: 012 319 2231 / 082 908 3377
Email: fadewet@medic.up.ac.za
Departmental Personnel: Dentists/ Lecturers
Head of the Division of Restorative Dentistry:
Prof Manfred F G Dannheimer
MDent DTO (Pret): Associate Professor
Lecturer in Basic Restorative Dentistry for BChD III, IV and V
Interest and research in:
the efficiency of LED vs halogen curing lights
in vitro cytotoxicity of different dentine bonding agents
assessing conditions of knowledge transfer and learning to minimise injuries
training of physically disabled students in dentistry
He has presented a number of lectures at refresher courses on topics such as:
the choice of dental materials
durability of bonding agents
indirect posterior resin restorative techniques
Latest project based on: field emission microscopy of the effect of bonding agents
Lecturer in Dental Materials to OHI, BChD and IV, as well as postgraduate students
Current Past-President of the Dental Materials Group and President of the South African Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), Member of the FDI
Interest and research in:
self-etching bonding systems( MSc topic)
composite veneers, bonding agents, cements, tooth whitening, tooth hypersensitivity, post-operative sensitivity, dental lasers and the ART technique
published articles: Dental Lasers, Treatment of Hypersensitivity, Bonding Agents and Anti-bacterial Properties of Dental Materials
* Dr I van Rensburg
* Dr V Peranovic
* Dr JF Otto
* Dr T Pillay
* Dr PF van der Vyver
* Dr H Gelderblom
* Dr R Moelich
* Dr NB Mzonelli
* Dr S Matjila
* Dr I Steenekamp
* Dr M Theron
* Dr M Wannenburg
Qualified Nurses:
* Sr ZM Buys
* Sr SM Mosupye
Dental Assistants:
* Ms A Kolver
* Ms S Mikunga
* Ms NC Mokoena
* Ms P Modipa
* Ms A Maibelo
* Ms L Tsotetsi
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Last edited by: Nichola Warren