Dafydd Stephens
Dafydd Stephens (2 July 1942 – 2 July 2012) was a Welsh ear and hearing doctor. He was an Honorary Professor of Audiological Medicine at Cardiff University and a visiting professor at Swansea University and the University of Bristol. He also worked as a consultant at the Welsh Hearing Institute and the University Hospital of Wales.
He grew up in Purley, south of London, the son of teachers, and trained at Charing Cross Hospital. He enjoyed cross-country running and even took part in the Ben Nevis Race in 1965. He was also fond of birdwatching and the natural world.
Stephens began his career as a research fellow at the University of Iowa in 1962, where he met his lifelong friend Ronald Hinchcliffe. His work took him to London, Cambridge, Southampton and Denmark before he became a consultant in audiological medicine at the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital in 1976.
In 1986 he moved back to Wales to lead the Welsh Hearing Institute while continuing his clinical and teaching work. He wrote and edited several books and published more than 400 articles in peer‑reviewed journals and books.
Stephens helped establish audiological medicine in the UK and served on many professional bodies and committees. His main research areas included genetic hearing impairment, the epidemiology of hearing loss, audiological rehabilitation, tinnitus and the history of audiology. He was known for a patient‑centred approach.
He retired from clinical work in September 2005 but stayed active in teaching and research and spoke at international conferences. He served on editorial boards for several journals and helped found the International Association of Physician in Audiology, becoming its first Honorary Secretary.
Dafydd Stephens and his family settled in Llanmaes. He served on the local community council for 25 years, four times as chairman. He died on 2 July 2012.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:24 (CET).