Dr. Andrew Stephen Balta

Husband, father, oral surgeon, community leader. Andrew Stephen Balta, D.M.D., a well-known oral surgeon in the Washington area, died Sunday, August 14, 2005, in UPMC-Shadyside hospital, Pittsburgh, after a brief illness. He was 67. He was born January 19, 1938, in Duquesne, a son of Andrew and Margaret Balta. Dr. Balta graduated from Duquesne High School and University of Pittsburgh, where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He did his postgraduate study at the University of Pittsburgh from 1963-1964 and his postdoctoral study in anesthesia and basic sciences at University of Pittsburgh from 1968-69. Dr. Balta was an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident at Henry Ford Hospital and staff oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the hospital until 1972. He was in private practice in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Washington, was on active staff at Washington Hospital and Canonsburg Hospital and courtesy staff at Allegheny General Hospital and Greene County Memorial Hospital, and a consultant at Kade Nursing Home and earlier at Skilled Nursing Care Facility of Canonsburg Hospital from 1983 to 1990. Dr. Balta was chief oral forensic examiner and deputy corner of Washington County from 1983 to 1991; director of Washington-Greene County Dental Society, 1974-86; and director of Dental Medicine Alumni Association of University of Pittsburgh, 1983-85. His associations and club memberships included diplomate of American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, diplomate and fellow of International Congress of Oral Implantologists, fellow of American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy; founding member of Fred A. Henny Dentistry and Oral Surgery Society; charter member of Henry Ford Hospital Medical Association; and member of International Society of Cosmetic Laser Surgeons, Chalmers J. Lyons Academy of Oral Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Great Lakes Society, Pennsylvania Society and Western Pennsylvania Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, 1971-91. He received Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honorary, 1968; Owens Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, 1967-69; National Institutes of Health Research Fellow, Microbiology Department, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, 1966-68; Master Award, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 1993; Scholar Award, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 1994; and Distinguished Service Award, United Way of Central Washington, 1977. His past positions and activities included being a member of Russian Room Committee, University of Pittsburgh, 1969-70; director, Washington-Greene County Dental Society, 1970-86; president, Dental Society of Western Pennsylvania, 1982; Cancer Detection Founding Chairman (breast and pap), United Way of Central Washington Health-O-Rama, 1980; board of directors, American Cancer Society, Pennsylvania Division, 1978-80; president, Washington County Unit, American Cancer Society, 1980-82; parish council, Immaculate Conception Church, Washington, 1980-84; United Way of Central Washington County, second vice president, 1980-82, first vice president, 1982-84, executive committee, 1982-86, board of directors, 1976-86, and president and chief volunteer officer, 1985-87; director of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, 1983-86, and president, chief volunteer officer and chairman of the board, 1987-90. Among his many accomplishments at Washington Hospital in surgical applications were first use of Joe Holl Morris bi-phasic extra-skeletal pin fixation, rigid internal fixation and mandibular orthopedic staple implant; first application, TMJ arthroscopy and TMJ laser arthroscopic surgery; first in Weber Ferguson approach hemi-maxillectomy, bilateral Abbe (lip) flap reconstruction for extensive lip cancer, sliding block lip reconstruction, total mandibulectomy with immediate reconstruction with mandibular bone plant, hemi-mandibulectomy, inferior cervical approach with immediate reconstruction with hip and rib graft and mandifular bone plate; and first use of compression osteosynthesis. He was a member of Pittsburgh Press Club, Rotary Club of Washington, National Rifle Association, United Steelworkers of America Duquesne local, 1956-58. He held many jobs as a young adult. From 1962 to 1963, Dr. Balta was a research assistant to Dr. Herbert Mansmann of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; metallurgical observer at Homestead Works of U.S. Steel Corp. in the summers of 1964 and 1963 laborer in open hearth at Homestead Works; worked in the general offices of traffic department of U.S. Steel Corp. 1958-62; and was a laborer in the City of Duquesne water department in 1955. He was a Eucharistic minister at Immaculate Conception Church since 1985, served on parish council and was founding co-chairman in January 1989 of Save Immaculate Conception High School coalition. Dr. Balta was a member of Washington County Republican Party, was listed in Marquis Who's Who in America in the 50th-56th editions, and won the 1999 and 2000 Washington County Beautification Award for his office. He enjoyed oil painting, fly tying, fly fishing and hunting. He spent considerable time conducting community affairs, but withdrew upon the death of his son, Andrew Brian Balta, who died in a car accident in 1988 at the age of 17. On December 30, 1961, he married JoAnn DiRemigio, who survives. Also surviving are a son, Stephen Adam Balta of Philadelphia; and two brothers, Edward and Ronald Balta, both of North Huntingdon. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 18, in Immaculate Conception Church, Washington, with the Rev. William Feeney, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens Library, 55 South College Street, Washington, PA 15301.