Ralph W. Phillips was a pioneering scholar in the field of dental materials at IUSD. Raised in Salem, Ind., Phillips joined the IU dental faculty in 1940 and quickly earned a reputation as a gifted scientist, author, and worldwide lecturer. He continued to contribute to the IU faculty and fulfill numerous speaking engagements until shortly before his death in 1991 at age 73. Phillips is best known for his internationally respected textbook, "Skinner's Science of Dental Materials," which he named after Eugene W. Skinner, the author of the book's early editions. Phillips and Skinner produced two editions together before Skinner's death in the 1960s. The 10th edition, renamed "Phillips' Science of Dental Materials" by new editor Kenneth Anusavice of the University of Florida, is still in use across the country today.
Ralph W. Phillips
Research Professor Emeritus of Dental Materials
