Dr. William Lobb, dean of the School of Dentistry, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Dental Association at its annual Pyramid of Pride Awards on Nov. 12.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the WDA’s highest honor. It was established to recognize an individual dentist who has given time, energy and expertise to the organizations representing dentistry throughout their career.
“Dr. Lobb changed the faculty, community and dental student cultural relations at Marquette University School of Dentistry when he became dean,” said Dr. James Conrardy, a pediatric dentist in Green Bay and 1978 graduate of Marquette School of Dentistry, in his nomination. “He created an atmosphere of safety, respect and dignity between administration, faculty, students, patients and patient caregivers. I am so humbled and privileged to have known Dr. Lobb, one of the great leaders in our profession.”
Lobb is the longest-serving dental school dean in the country. He came to Marquette in 1994 with a vision, mission and strategic plan to make Marquette a nationally renowned program. This has been achieved by significant collaboration with the WDA, legislative leaders, private donors and philanthropists, and the Marquette dental community, both past and present.
“I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have worked with excellent people and to have been associated with stellar colleagues from Marquette, the School of Dentistry and the WDA,” Lobb said in accepting the award. “I have been able to grow and help accomplish our goals due to the opportunity to engage with the leadership and the many dentists who work on behalf of organized dentistry. Little did I know when I arrived at Marquette 27 years ago, I would have the opportunity to become involved with so many endeavors to ensure that dental education and the dental profession could work collaboratively to our mutual benefit.”
In 2002, the School of Dentistry moved into a cutting-edge 120,000-square-foot facility. It then received a 40,000-square-foot addition in 2013.
Lobb has received several grants from public and private entities at Marquette, has co-authored peer reviewed manuscripts and has written numerous abstracts, book chapters and other publications. He taught orthodontics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, and at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has also held staff appointments at H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital, the University of Alberta Hospital and the Izaak Walton Killam Children’s Hospital. Lobb has practiced as a general dentist in the Northwest Territories and in Edmonton. He also practiced as an orthodontist in Edmonton and Halifax.