Dr. Williams, who passed away on May 3, 2019, served as a delegate from the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists to the AAO House of Delegates and as president of the Maryland State Society of Orthodontists. He was a MASO Director for six years, edited MASO’s awarding winning Journal, served as Co-General Chair of the 2018 AAO Annual Session and was MASO’s representative to the AAO Global Strategic Planning Committee.
The Distinguished Service Award was established by the Board of Directors of the American Association of Orthodontists in 1963 and was renamed the James E. Brophy AAO Distinguished Service Award by the House of Delegates in 1986. The award is presented to those who, in the judgment of the Award Committee, have made contributions to orthodontics in addition to other valuable and devoted services to the Association and to its membership. This award is presented during the AAO Excellence in Orthodontics Awards Luncheon at Annual Session.
MASO Mourns Loss of Colleague and Friend, Robert “Bob” Williams 1945 – 2019
Dr. Robert E. “Bob” Williams, DMD, MA, of Towson, Maryland, passed away suddenly on Friday, May 3, 2019.
Dr. Williams served as Secretary of the Board and MASO Director for six years, and he was Editor of MASO’s Journal for the past 13 years. He served as Co-General Chair of the 2018 AAO Annual Session, as MASO’s representative to the AAO’s Global Strategic Planning Committee, and MASO representative to the AAO’s Advocacy Conference. He also served as President of the Maryland State Society of Orthodontists in 1995-96.
He was awarded the Gerald A. Devlin Award from MASO in 2009. It was announced on May 6 at the AAO Annual Session in Los Angeles that Dr. Williams will posthumously be awarded the James E. Brophy Distinguished Service Award at the AAO Annual Session in 2020 in Atlanta. The Brophy Award is the highest service award bestowed by the AAO.
Following the completion of his orthodontic residency in 1971, Dr. Williams presented his graduate thesis as part of the scientific program at the AAO’s Annual Session. He then served on active duty for six years as Chief of the Orthodontic Service on Okinawa, Japan and Augsburg, Germany where he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for establishing the first military Children’s Dental Clinic in Europe.
After his discharge from active duty, Dr. Williams began his full-time teaching career in the Orthodontic Department at the University of Maryland Dental School where he was Director of the Undergraduate Orthodontic Clinic, and also provided the entire didactic and clinical instruction for the Dental School’s Accelerated Training Program. During this time he also served as the Chief of Professional Services for the US Army’s 92nd Field Hospital.
In 1983, Dr. Williams transitioned from academics to private practice, but he maintained his commitment to orthodontic education by providing both didactic instruction and clinical supervision in Maryland’s Orthodontic Department. He served as the thesis advisor for 14 graduate orthodontic theses. During this time he was also a member of the Cleft Palate Team of Kernan Hospital in Baltimore for 27 years.
In addition to his professional service, Dr. Williams served in several leadership positions in both the Boy Scouts and his local church. As Scoutmaster, he assisted 21 young men achieve the rank of Eagle Scout and he led 14 scouts in an international exchange program with Kawasaki, Japan. He was a District Chairman and he received the District Award of Merit. He served two terms as Elder on the Session of Towson Presbyterian Church, and two years as Moderator of the Board of Deacons.
He is survived by his wife, Karen, of Towson; brother, Dave, of Randallstown; son Gareth and daughter-in-law Amy of Silver Spring, and granddaughters Catrin and Hannah.
A memorial service will be held at Towson Presbyterian Church, located at 400 W Chesapeake Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204 on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to Towson Presbyterian Church or the Baltimore Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Any member who would like to share a personal story, memory or photograph of Dr. Williams for publication in the Fall issue of the Journal, please send your information to maso@assnoffices.com by June 1, 2019.