Remembering Professor Emeritus Ramesh Kuba

Ramesh Kumar Kuba, BDS, MSD, professor emeritus, passed away in late January.

Born in India in 1938, Kuba grew up in Delhi from the age of seven. He received a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree in 1962 in Bombay (now Mumbai).

Kuba immigrated to the United States from India in 1963 to study at Yale University, which sparked his passion for education. He would go on to receive a Master of Science in Radiology from the Indiana University School of Dentistry and serve on their faculty before coming to the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry as a professor in 1970. He would serve as professor and professor emeritus at the School of Dentistry for 37 years, also serving as director of radiology until 2007. During his time at the school, he received numerous teaching awards, recognizing his outstanding abilities as an educator. This included the Century Club Professor of the Year award, bestowed in 1988—the highest honor bestowed on a faculty member in recognition of teaching, research and service. He was one of the earliest examiners of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, and presided over the board in 1987. Prior to that, he was an Examiner on the Fellowship Certification Committee of AAOMR for five years and was its chairperson in 1980.  

Kuba was always passionately dedicated to the field of radiology in its early days. “Today, radiology is a very exciting field, with Cone Beam CT and digital advancements, but these were early days,” explained Omar Zidan, BDS, HDD, MS, PhD, associate professor of operative dentistry, who studied under Kuba and later worked with him. “He was very committed to a field that was not flashy, but was of tremendous value.” Although radiology was still film-based, using darkroom for processing, Kuba identified the limitations. He converted a large section of his teaching file to digital format and gave these resources to all his students in a CD.  

As an instructor, Zidan recalled, Kuba was “truly in command of what he was teaching.” Zidan recalled Kuba’s care for students, his work to ensure continuity in education before going on a sabbatical and his gracious way of working with those he disagreed with. “He was full of authentic warmth and humanity,” Zidan said.

His lectures “were excellent and well-received by his students, including me,” said Larry Wolff, MS, PhD, DDS, professor of periodontology. “His many students over the years continue to benefit from the knowledge he passed on. Ramesh was always the first one I contacted when I had a dental radiological question about one of my personal, private practice patients,” shared Wolff. “Frequently, when a dental student or resident had dental radiology questions that posed a challenge for me to answer, Ramesh would be the go-to expert faculty.  Ramesh touched so many of us in a positive way, both personally and professionally.”

Kuba’s kindness and warmth is perhaps his strongest legacy at the school, as is evident in those who worked with him or knew him for many years.

“From the first day in early 1985 that I met my great friend and colleague, Dr Ramesh Kuba, until nearly 35 years later when he retired, he was always kind, generous, thoughtful and a great and dedicated educator,” shared Nelson Rhodus, DMD, MPH, FICD, FRCSEd, professor of oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial imaging. “We were together in the same division and he always had a smile and was so polite, courteous and committed to excellence. He set the highest academic standards but his students still loved him. I can easily say I've met very few people that I admired and truly liked as much as Dr Kuba. “

“Dr. Kuba will be remembered for his dedication to teaching and taking special care to support his students. He was always well-organized, paying attention to minute details. I will remember him for his kindness and generosity,” recalled Mansur Ahmad, BDS, PhD, associate professor and director of the Division of Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging. “My parking spot was Lot C61, beyond where the Huntington Stadium sits now. Every evening, whether summer or winter, he would give me a ride to my parking spot and wait until I start driving. He was one of the kindest men that I ever knew.”

Kuba’s legacy on the school remains today in the Dr. Ramesh Kuba Radiology Excellence Award, presented each year to a senior dental student who shows excellent clinical or didactic work related to Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. He is also memorialized in the Periodontology/Oral Radiology Conference Room on the seventh floor of Moos Tower, which bears his name.

Kuba and his wife of 62 years, Kanta, “built a warm, welcoming home with a hot cup of chai always ready,” according to his obituary. Kuba was a loving father and grandfather who loved to host family and friends for a meal and laughter. He was an avid traveler and had visited almost 100 countries.