Dr. Derric DesMarteau, longtime team dentist for the Golden State Warriors , the Oakland Raiders and other sports organizations as well as a highly regarded private dentist with a thriving practice in Piedmont, died Aug. 20 from complications from cancer. He was 58.
"He had such a love of dentistry, such an unbelievable passion for it," said Rhonda Nelson, who worked with DesMarteau for 17 years as his office manager. "He could work magic with people. Patients came to him when other dentists said they'd given up on them, so he would often get unusual cases and restore their whole mouths." DesMarteau specialized in cosmetic and sports dentistry, and was the team dentist for the Warriors and Raiders for many years. He also provided dental services for members of the UC Berkeley men's and women's Basketball programs, the U.S. rugby team and the Piedmont High School football team, and was the regional dentist for the U.S. men's and women's national soccer teams.
"You could always see him on the sidelines at the games," Nelson said. "He traveled with the teams, and (handled) many emergencies taken care of in the locker room. And our office makes all the mouth guards for the players."
"Dr. DesMarteau was a unique, intelligent and well-rounded individual who was committed to being the absolute best in both his personal and professional life," said Robert Rowell, president of the Golden State Warriors . "He served our organization well for over a decade and had a special bond with many of our players over the years. He'll be sorely missed by everyone, including those of us in the Warriors organization who benefited from his friendship, presence and expertise."
A California native, DesMarteau received his undergraduate degree in biology from UCLA. He completed his dental education at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in 1980. After graduating dental school, he moved to the East Bay, where he began private practice, and practiced general dentistry in Piedmont since 1986.
DesMarteau also held a degree from the Las Vegas Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry and taught other dentists from all over the country the latest in cosmetic dental procedures. In 1998, he was selected as an instructor in an advanced, hands-on cosmetic dentistry course called PAC-Live, which specialized in porcelain veneer application and "smile design." He was also the co-director of a graduate course in cosmetic dentistry at the UOP School of Dentistry called the "Aesthetic Revolution."
DesMarteau lived in Danville with his wife, Susie, and two boys, Chad and Sean. The family enjoyed skiing, traveling together and participating in the boys' sporting events.
In addition to his wife and sons, he is survived by his mother, Patty; brothers Rick, Scott and Jim; and sister Brynne. He was preceded in death by his father, George.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 12 at Crosswinds Church, 6444 Sierra Court, Dublin. In lieu of flowers, gifts in DesMarteau's memory may be made to the Derric DesMarteau Memorial Fund at the University of the Pacific, Dugoni School of Dentistry, 2155 Webster St., San Francisco, CA 94115.
