by Dr. John H. Mosteller, D.D.S., FACD, FICD, Editor Emeritus, Journal of the Alabama Dental Association
The first Dentist Advisory Board to the University of Alabama School of Dentistry included Dr. Fuller
The Dentists Advisory Board to the University of Alabama School of Dentistry was created by the legislation that established the School of Dentistry in 1945. Governor Chauncy Sparks did not appoint the first Board until November 1946 and funds to operate the school were not appropriated until 1947. The first Dentists Advisory Board was composed of Dr. Moren H. Fuller (Centerville), Dr Olin Kirkland (Montgomery), Dr. C. B. Bray (Birmingham), Dr. John H. Sullivan (Mobile) and Dr. Richard R. Moorer (Eufaula). Dr. Fuller was appointed chairman by Governor Sparks.
Dr. Fuller was not well known by his Alabama colleagues and he was completely unknown in dental academia. He never held an ALDA office, but he was highly respected by his community. Governor Sparks figured competent academicians could be hired, but respected Alabama dentists knew what was best for our citizens.
Dr Kirkland was the best-known Alabama dentist before the dental school was established. His peers had voted him “The Alabama Dentist of the First half of the 20th Century” in 1950.
Dr. John Sullivan’s brother, Joseph C. Sullivan, Jr., J.D., introduced the bill in the Alabama House of Representatives that created the School of Dentistry. Another brother, Dr. George J. Sullivan, was a Mobile dentist, as was their father, Dr. Joseph Charles Sullivan, Sr. (Philadelphia Dental College, 1891). Dr. Richard R. Moorer was Governor Spark’s personal dentist, which certainly justified his appointment.
Dr. Fuller spent a lot of time at the school during its early years and Dean Volker treated him with proper respect. The first students were thankful for the school because many of them were World War II veterans with impeccable credentials (or tickets, as Joe Volker called them) to enter dental school, but they had been unable to find a spot in out-of-state universities. They came to believe that Dr. Fuller was their personal benefactor, so the young Dental Alumni Association chose to honor Dr. Fuller and to make the award his namesake.
H. Moren Fuller Award Recipients
- 1955 Dr. H. Moren Fuller
- 1956 Dr. Charles W. Lokey, Sr.
- 1957 Dr. Edward G. Rhoads
- 1958 Dr. Hunter S. Allen
- 1959 Dr. Claude C. Cannon
- 1960 Dr. William A. Wood
- 1963 Dr. Joseph A. Volker
- 1964 Dr. William L. McCarty, Sr.
- 1965 Dr. William L. McCracken
- 1966 Dr. Newton E. Allen
- 1967 Dr. David D. Bloom
- 1968 Dr. J. Luther Hughes
- 1969 Dr. Charles A. McCallum, Jr.
- 1970 Dr. George W. Matthews, Sr.
- 1971 Dr. Sidney B. Finn
- 1972 Dr. Leonard H. Robinson
- 1973 Dr. Paul E. Hammons
- 1974 Dr. Edwin M. Speed
- 1975 Dr. Paul R. Huffstutler
- 1976 Dr. Joseph C. Stewart
- 1977 Dr. John H. Mosteller
- 1978 Dr. William M. Lawson
- 1979 Dr. Morris W. Hollis
- 1982 Dr. Polly Ayers
- 1983 Dr. William D. Powell, Jr.
- 1985 Dr. Marvin L. Barron
- 1986 Dr. Roy R. Kracke
- 1987 Dr. David F. Greer
- 1989 Dr. Roy G. Cowan, Sr.
- 1990 Dr. Morgan A. Tunstall
- 1994 Dr. Mario G. Martinez, Jr.
- 1998 Dr. Charles Ray Graham
- 2000 Dr. Mary Lynne Capilouto
- 2001 Dr. Chalmus W. Strickland
- 2002 Mr. Wayne McMahan
- 2003 Dr. Thomas W. Weatherford, III
- 2004 Dr. Thomas W. Jones
- 2005 Dr. Charles W. Lokey, Jr.
- 2006 Dr. Zack Studstill
- 2007 Dr. Hiram Johnson
- 2012 Dr. George Lewis “Lew” Mitchell, Jr.
- 2013 Dr. Joel P. Hearn
- 2014 Dr. Milton Essig
- 2015 Dr. James Calvin McCulloh
- 2016 Dr. Benjamin J. Cumbus
- 2017 Dr. Alvin “Red” Stevens
- 2018 Dr. Micheal D. Edwards
- 2019 Dr. Barry L. Booth
- 2020 Dr. Mark R. McIlwain
- 2021 Dr. John Anderson
- 2022 Dr. Perng-Ru Liu
Revised 07/28/2023