Dr. Anthony J. Ellenikiotis

January 21, 1959 - July 11, 2021

Dr. Anthony J. Ellenikiotis was a very proud father of four wonderful children, a prominent orthodontist and entrepreneur for 34 years, and a full clinical professor and chairman of admissions at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the Division of Orthodontics for 25 years.

Anthony was born of Greek immigrant parents, Yianni and Eleni, who raised three children, Pauline, Anthony and Jim in Hillsborough, CA. He worked and achieved in every aspect of his life, embracing his Greek culture and his many friends and family who he so loyally and passionately cared for throughout his life. He attended the University of California Santa Barbara for his undergraduate degree, then earned his D.D.S. at the University of the Pacific and then his M.S and certificate in Orthodontic Occlusion-Temporomandibular Articulation Management and Full Mouth Restorative Dentistry, at Georgetown University.

After graduating from Georgetown University he opened his orthodontic practice in 1987 in Saratoga, CA and opened a second office in Willow Glen, CA in 2005. He practiced with excellence and great attention to detail for thousands of patients throughout his career. Known by his patients as Dr. E, he was greatly respected for his expertise in the community and well known for his patient care and for creating gorgeous smiles and lifelong oral health for all of his patients throughout California and the Bay Area.

In addition to his practice, he was fully committed to teaching and mentoring. He taught many years for the Roth Williams Institute before joining the teaching faculty at UCSF, where he taught and mentored over 125 orthodontic residents for the tenure of his career. Many of his residents held associate positions in his practice to further develop and learn from Dr. E. As Chairman of Admissions in the Division of Orthodontics, he was passionate about attracting the very best residents from across the country. He was deeply dedicated to his teaching at UCSF and the Orthodontic profession and established the Anthony J. Ellenikiotis Scholarship Endowment in the Division of Orthodontics at UCSF. He was recognized by the University for his generous contribution and for being the first to establish such an endowment to financially support future orthodontic residents.

Additionally, he was an artist in his practice and at home, where he showcased his paintings and decorative arrangements and created a magnificent and beautiful garden including a fruit orchard, olive orchard, vegetable garden, and a vast array of colorful flowers and plants that provided a retreat for his family and friends.

With all of these accomplishments and achievements, his greatest passion, focus, and love was for his four children, Eleni, Soula, Yianni, and George, as well as his “other four children”, their spouses, David, Rocky, Victoria, and Kelsie. Whether he was speaking to friends, family, colleagues, patients, residents or staff members at restaurants, airports, or vacation resorts, he spoke so highly of his children and their accomplishments. He would always share that he had eight amazing children, four were doctors at UCSF and four worked at Google. He was devoted to family above all else and was adored and loved by his children who regarded him the world’s greatest dad.

After a heroic 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer, his legacy lives on in every aspect of his life. He loved fiercely and without condition and he was loved, and will be loved, in the same way by all who were fortunate enough to know him.

Trisagion (Wake) will be held at 7pm on Thursday, July 15, 2021 followed by a Funeral Service at 2pm on Friday, July 16, 2021. Both services will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross, 900 Alameda de las Pulgas in Belmont, CA. Interment at Greek Orthodox Memorial Park in Colma, CA.