Dr. Bill Adams of Albertville, Alabama, has made an $800,000 planned gift commitment to endow a professorship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry, which will realize the gift through his estate.
“If I don’t give back, who is? Look, I have the assets to give back and make a difference by endowing a faculty position in the future. If it hadn’t been for dental school, I wouldn’t have the assets. Hopefully, more people will give back,” said Adams.
“Dental school was a lot different when I was a student. The professors didn’t always see eye to eye with the students. It was very demanding, even better than the military,” he said.
After graduating from the school in 1960, Adams joined the US Army. He spent nine years at Fort Knox in Kentucky and at Fort Sam Houston and Fort Hood, both in Texas, later serving in Alaska as well.
Following his full-time service, Adams started a practice in Albertville. He also continued serving in the military, first as a colonel in the Army National Guard and later with the Army Reserves until 2002.
Adams retired from full-time dentistry in 2014, but he occasionally fills in for other dentists when they have emergencies or need a vacation. He also regularly attends the Alabama Dental Alumni Weekend.
According to UAB, Adams has logged more than 6,000 hours of continuing education courses, including 1,200 hours on treating craniofacial pain. He also has completed the AGD Master’s program and the Institute for Advanced TMJ Studies. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Sleep Medicine and the National Board of Craniofacial Pain as well.
“I learn something every time I do it. You should never stop learning. I’m always looking to pick up a pearl,” he said.
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