Newton resident and longtime community dentist Solomon M. Kozol '36 died Monday at Needham Hospital of heart failure. He was 91.

Kozol, who was also a father, grandfather and WWII veteran was buried Wednesday in Baker Street Cemetery in West Roxbury.

After graduating from Harvard College, Kozol attended graduate school at McGill University in Montreal where he studied oral surgery.

At the beginning of World War II, Kozol left his practice in Boston to serve in the Marine Corps as a dental surgeon.

Kozol was stationed in the South Pacific on the front lines, where he performed oral surgery on injured soldiers. His service included the invasions of Guadalcanal and Saipan.

Kozol received a Purple Heart after being injured, and was awarded a Silver Star for his bravery in combat.

After Kozol returned home, he became the chief of dental medicine at Jewish Memorial Hospital in Boston, and during his career spent more than 50 years practicing dental medicine in the area.

"He was very outgoing and had tons of friends," said Kozol's daughter Linda Hiller. "He was beloved by all nieces, nephews and grandchildren."