Joe Ross Pullen – Obituary

Joe Ross Pullen, DMD went home to be with his Lord May 15. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Martha Campbell Pullen, five children, Dr. Mark (Sherry Ann) Pullen, Jeff (Steinunn) Pullen, Joanna Pullen (Dr. Ron) Collins, John (Suzanne) Crocker and Camp (Charisse) Crocker and eighteen grandchildren- Morgan, Bradley and Ward Pullen; Emma Pullen; Sarah Joy, Christopher, Rebekah and Ben Crocker; Campbell, Marshall, Garrin and Sophie-Reese Crocker; Cecil and Chase Hammett; Houston Turney; Peyton, William and Walter Collins.

In Huntsville Business magazine March 1987, Dr. Joe Pullen was the cover story in an article titled “A Pioneer of Implant Dentistry.” The writer, Melissa Ford Thornton, began the piece like this: “Dr. Pullen’s contributions have been recognized by many very major dental organizations but his real reward is the happiness he’s been able to bring to his patients.” Joe Pullen loved dentistry and practiced for 40 years in Huntsville.

Joe followed in the footsteps of his father, Joyce Buren Pullen, DDS who was the fourth dentist in Huntsville. His father began practice in Huntsville in 1942 when Joe was seven years old. Joe’s mother (Emma Eileen Hodges Pullen) and father decided to move to Huntsville, which they felt was a town with lots of business potential since it only had three dentists! Joe’s father had graduated from Vanderbilt University Dental School in 1924.
Joe graduated from the University of Alabama Dental School and began practicing with his father in 1961. Joe and his father practiced together until Dr. Joyce (Pop) was 78 years old. His son, Mark, began practicing with Joe in 1990 becoming the third generation Pullen dentist in Huntsville.

Joe had an illustrious career as an implant dentist, serving as president of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry in 1983. He taught dentistry on four continents at such exciting places as Harvard University, The Royal Academy of Medicine in London, The University of Zurich Dental School and Lariboisiere Hospital in Paris. He conducted seminars for dentists in Brazil, Japan, Singapore, Italy, and several other countries. He received the Medal of the City of Paris, France at the Hotel de Ville (the town hall) conferred by none other than the mayor of Paris. He stated, when presenting the medal to Joe, that the honor was in recognition of his contribution to the international health community in the area of implant dentistry where he had helped to “alleviate pain and suffering of people the world over.”

Before becoming president of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry he served as treasurer, secretary, vice-president and president-elect. The year he was president, he traveled to eight countries representing the organization and teaching other dentists how to place implants. He was president of the Alabama Academy of General Dentistry. He was named a fellow, an honor reserved for only one percent of the members, by the other fellows in the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of General Dentistry and of the Academy of Dentistry International. Some of the most rewarding aspects of Joe’s dental life were his many mission trips with Whitesburg Baptist Church, in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. Those trips were to Jamaica, Brazil, Togo, Benin, Brazil, and Guatemala. He was a member of the Huntsville Optimist Club and he played the trumpet in the Whitesburg Baptist Church Orchestra. He founded along with his wife The Martha Pullen Company, and worked tirelessly with her to make it the international sewing business that it is today.

Visitation will be from 11am to 1pm Tuesday, May 19, at Whitesburg Baptist Church (6806 Whitesburg Dr.). The funeral service will immediately follow at the church with Dr. Jimmy Jackson, Dr. Dick Thomassian and the Rev. John Crocker officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Whitesburg Baptist Church Missions Office, 6806 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, AL 35802.