Boston University School of Dental Medicine professor emeritus Dr. Herbert Schilder, a pioneer in dental science, died Jan. 5 at 77 years old.

Schilder was a fellow of the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists, and he also served in the United States Army Dental Corps for two years.

Serving as the Endodontics Department chairperson until 2000, his advancements in developing new techniques for root canal therapy gave his method the name “The Schilder Technique.” His work even made it into pop culture; it earned a mention in the film Finding Nemo during a scene in a dentist’s office.

During his lifetime, Schilder was the recipient of many awards and honors for his work in endodontry, and he also held many high-ranking positions of many dental associations and societies.

General Dentistry Department chairperson Dr. Judith Jones said Schilder’s presence extended beyond his accomplishments in science.

“A gentle soul, he was a giant of the profession,” she said in an email. “His endodontics program at BU educated dentists from all over the world.”

Although Schilder came to the university in 1966 at a time when only 40 other dentists in the country practicing endodontics, he was able to contribute much to the field, including predicting lesion healing and defining the principles of cleaning and shaping. He retired from the university in 2003.

Schilder is also the author of endodontics textbook chapters and over 100 science articles.

“He spent his career advancing the art and science of dentistry, particularly endodontics,” Jones said.

In a message to the university, SDM dean Dr. Spencer Frankl said Schilder’s work was crucial to the development of the school.

“It is difficult to characterize Herb’s impact on our school,” he said in a statement. “He was an integral part of our community from the start, and graduates of the program have gone on to become leaders in practice, education and research, always showing the commitment to excellence instilled in them by Herb.”

Throughout his extensive career, Schilder taught at many schools, both national and international and also was a member of over 20 professional societies.

He is survived by his wife Joan, his son Richard and his brother Stanley. He was the father of the late Edward Schilder.

Jones said the dentists who came to BU got more from Schilder than just a regular education.

“He was not just their program director,” she said, “rather he and his wife created a family atmosphere within the program.”

A funeral was held Thursday morning in Temple Israel, Boston.