Thomas A. Collins, DDS

March 8, 1942 - March 27, 2014

Thomas A. Collins, DDS, passed away March 27, 2014, having only recently found out that he had pancreatic cancer.
Tom was born March 8, 1942 in Coshocton, OH, the son of Miles and Joanie Collins. He attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In 1967 he earned his Doctorate in Dental Science degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.
After dental school, Tom served his country as an Army dentist, achieving the rank of captain. He then practiced dentistry for more than 40 years in Arcadia, CA, Pine Mountain Club, CA and Albuquerque, NM.
Tom's main career focus was treating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and head and neck pain. He wrote a book, "Prisoner of Pain," to assist patients in understanding their pain, and alleviating it without surgery. He was on the faculty at the University of Southern California Dental School, and was a member (president for 11 years) of the San Gabriel Peer Review Committee in San Gabriel, CA. In his later years, Tom became involved with a newly formed Albuquerque organization called Dental Care In Your Home. This venture offered him the ability to give assistance to those senior patients that were either homebound, wheelchair bound or otherwise forgotten by society for their dental needs.
Devoted foremost to his family, Tom also loved his dogs, traveling, playing golf, the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians professional sports teams. Tom is survived by his best friend, confidant and love of his life, Pamela (née Grayson), whom he married on September 12, 1997. They were together for 22 years. He is also survived by son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Collins, Jr. and Lisa of Copley, OH; grandsons, Brian and Jeff of Phoenix, AZ; and sister, Pamela Heath of San Dimas, CA.