Bruce Rothwell was a vital force

Bruce Ronald Rothwell, a teacher and administator in the University of Washington School of Dentistry, earned national acclaim for helping develop a sophisticated computer program that used dental records to identify victims of the Green River killer.

Simultaneously serving as chairman of the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the UW and as chief of service of dentistry-oral surgery at University Medical Center, he also concocted Rothwell's Solution--a painkilling mouthwash to help patients using radiation and chemotherapy for mouth cancers.

Dr. Rothwell was a "vital, driving force in our school of dentistry," said David Bales, past restorative-dentistry chairman.

Dr. Rothwell died Tuesday (Nov. 14) of kidney cancer. He was 52.

Richard McCoy, acting chairman, said Dr. Rothwell was a fair and brilliant leader known for his wit and humanity.

"Bruce was so friendly and sincere that one always left his office with an uplifted spirit and smile after talking to him," said McCoy. "He always went to bat for the faculty and staff in his department, winning approval for a remodel project he conceived that dramatically improved working conditions in his overcrowded department."

As a clinician, he held appointments not only at the UW, but also at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center.

He liked teaching, frequently presented papers and was instrumental in expanding the UW general-practice residency program.

The Spokane native earned his bachelor's degree at Washington State University and his doctor's degree with honors at the University of Oregon School of Dentistry.

He continued at the UW, earning a certificate in a general-practice residency and a certificate and M.S.D. in oral medicine.

Before coming to the UW, he served in the Army Dental Corps.

Dr. Rothwell joined the faculty of the UW Department of Oral Diagnosis hospital-dentistry program in 1974. He became a professor and was Chief of Service of Dentistry-Oral Surgery at the University Medical Center from 1980 to 2000. He was director of hospital dentistry from 1989 to 2000.

As a forensic odontologist, he served as a consultant to the King County Medical Examiner's Office and in the 1980s worked with UW colleague Tom Morton to identify victims in the Green River killer case. It was opened in 1982 when the bodies of five women were found in or near the Green River south of Kent.

Drs. Rothwell and Morton laboriously identified dental records by hand until the mid-1980s. That's when Dr. Rothwell talked Microrim founder Wayne Erickson into developing software to make the screening of suspected Green River victims' dental records much easier.

The software, also useful in identifying other remains, evaluates each tooth for eight different characteristics. It differs from other computerized identification programs in that it can integrate additional identifying factors, such as tattoos, age and place of discovery into a unified profile.

"He was fascinated by that work," said Dr. Rothwell's wife of 16 years, Patricia Rothwell, herself a dentist. "He had a keen intellect, and read voraciously on many subjects, including history and literature. He was always getting the right answers on `Jeopardy.' "

Rothwell also noted her husband's development of the painkilling mouthwash, saying "People always wanted him to patent it, but he didn't believe he should make money from cancer victims."

Despite his accomplishments, say friends, Dr. Rothwell--also an avid boater--was a down-to-earth man and excellent chef who loved to entertain and cooked many of his family's meals.

Also surviving are his children, Alexandra, 14, and Barrett, 11; and two sisters, Diane Hawk, Spokane, and Donna Kilburg, Olympia.

Services were held yesterday at St. Bridget's Church in Seattle.

Remembrances may go to the Rothwell Family Foundation, c/o Seattle Foundation, 425 Pike St., Seattle, WA 98101.

Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com.