Dr. Henry Stanley Zaytoun

Henry Stanley Zaytoun, 102, passed away on Monday May 25, 2026, peacefully and with dignity at his home in Raleigh, NC.

Henry was born February 23, 1924, in Kinston, NC, and grew up in New Bern, NC. He attended the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1940 where he completed his pre-dental studies before attending the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 1943. After graduating from the V-12 Navy College Training Program, Henry went on active duty and served as a Naval Dental Officer at the U.S. Third Army Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany from 1946-1948.

Once he returned home, Henry moved to Rocky Mount, NC where he started his dental practice and married Martha Nassif from Wilson, NC on February 21, 1950. In 1959, Henry earned his M.S. in Orthodontics at UNC and moved to Raleigh with Martha where they opened an orthodontic practice and raised their 9 children.

For the next 60 years, Henry worked at his practice where he continued to grow in the field of orthodontics. He steadfastly supported the UNC Adams School of Dentistry over the years, co-chairing the Capital Campaign to construct the building that houses the school. He also established an endowment for a Term Professorship in Orthodontics, and established the Henry S. And Martha N. Zaytoun Professionalism and Ethics Award. Among his many local, state, national and professional affiliations, Henry was a former president of the NC Association of Orthodontists.

In 2004, Henry was awarded The Benemerenti Medal, a civil and military honor bestowed by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for exceptional, long-standing service to the Catholic Church. He was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, by Governor Micheal Easley, North Carolina’s highest honor that acknowledges exemplary service to the state.

Henry and Martha were recognized for their support for the arts across the state of NC and in 1993, they endowed an associate principal trumpet chair for the NC Symphony.

Henry’s love of dentistry extended way beyond his practice by writing numerous letters of recommendations for aspiring dental students and by offering jobs and training in his own practice. He mentored many new dentists in the community and was always willing to pass on his vast knowledge and professionalism.

Well-traveled and an avid reader, Henry was considered by most who knew him as a “history buff”. He could either be seen working at his desk or reading thick tomes of non-fiction. However, as much as Henry loved reading, traveling and working in the field of dentistry, he was first and foremost a lifelong, devout Catholic and a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Raleigh where he attended Mass on a weekly and daily basis. Henry placed his faith in the Lord above all else. No day ended without his devotion to Mother Mary as he prayed the rosary every night with his wife, Martha. The education and support of Seminarians and priests has been a major charity of Henry and Martha. And on numerous occasions, the Zaytoun's opened their home to the dioceses priests whenever they needed a place to stay or a good, home-cooked meal.

Known for his firm handshake, his gracious smile and his affectionate way of pinching cheeks, Henry never went without reaching out to family and friends, inquiring about the happenings of the day and offering advice solicited (and many times, unsolicited). He was a constant student, educating himself on current events, reading history and continuing his dental educational classes. He enjoyed an intellectual conversation with adults and kids alike. He loved to say, “Teach me something,” welcoming new and interesting topics, and then ending with a shared life lesson. Not one to sit around idle, his sharp mind was always at work, as well as his physical being. He advocated exercising your mind and your body. There were not many days he missed his 3-mile jog or his daily workouts. He taught his family the importance of physical activity and the profound contribution it has on ones own health, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Henry’s stories will be sorely missed for their guidance and infinite wisdom, along with his sense of humor and his demand for excellence in even the simplest of tasks. But mostly, he will be missed for his constant blessings bestowed on family and friends alike, expressing his love and offering to help in any way possible. A man of vision, he was not satisfied with what is, but always thinking ahead to what might be. Henry was a gift to us all and left his mark on those who knew him.