Dr. Sidney Epstein, a San Francisco dentist, professor and scholar who served as president of the board of the former Homewood Terrace, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, in San Francisco. He was 91.

Epstein was born Jan. 17, 1914 in Brooklyn, N.Y. His family moved to Madera when he was child. He attended dental school in

San Francisco, and married Cornelia Aronheim in 1944.

Epstein had a private dentistry practice and also taught as a professor at the University of the Pacific and Stanford University School of Medicine. He also served as chief of the department of dentistry at Mount

Zion Hospital and Medical Center.

From 1952 to 1954, he served in the Army.

Epstein belonged to Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco and was involved with the Jewish Home for the Aged.

From 1971 to 1977, he served as president of the board of directors of Homewood Terrace, the home for Jewish orphans. He oversaw it in the year that it closed and merged with Jewish Family Services to become Jewish Family and Children’s Services.

“That was an important milestone in the development of services to children in San Francisco because it phased out services to children who no longer needed inpatient services, and instead focused on outpatient services to keep families together,” said Anita Friedman, executive director of JFCS.

Epstein was not only a generous supporter of these organizations, but was “a very compassionate, sensitive individual who stayed involved with JFCS after the merger because he deeply cared about children and families,” Friedman said. “Services for Jewish children in the Jewish community are stronger and better as a result of the early decisions made by him under his tenure.”

Epstein was predeceased by his wife in 1989. He is survived by daughters Louise Grant of Newton, Mass. and Ruth Coles of Wellesley, Mass.; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild and partner Judith Hazlett of San Francisco.

Donations can be made to the Jewish Home, 302 Silver Ave., S.F. CA 94112.