Sir, your obituary for Gordon Seward rightly recognises his significant academic achievements and honours (Br Dent J 2023; 234: 83).

I was fortunate to be taught by him as an oral surgery registrar at the London Hospital whilst I was studying for my Fellowship. He was an outstanding teacher with an encyclopaedic memory but I will never forget assisting in his operating sessions. It was a case of him assisting me whilst I was being trained. He held the retractors and directed what I was doing. He never took over to finish the procedure. On one occasion, I even worked on a salivary gland for which he had a special interest. Quite remarkable.