Terry Dischinger, DDS, a nine-year NBA player, Olympic gold medalist and orthodontist, died Oct. 10 at the age of 82.
After earning an Olympic Gold Medal in 1960, he was selected by the Chicago Zephyrs, now the Washington Wizards, in the 1962 NBA Draft. He was named an All-Star for his first three seasons before enlisting in the U.S. Army, according to an Oct. 10 news release. In 1967, he returned to the NBA for five more seasons, ending his basketball career with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1972-73 season.
Dr. Dischinger then earned his dental degree from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in Memphis and went on to specialize in orthodontics at the Oregon Health and Science University’s School of Dentistry in Portland. He practiced orthodontics for more than 30 years in Lake Oswego, Ore., and was considered one of the most influential orthodontists during his career. He held several patents and trained orthodontists worldwide.