Edmond Oral Surgeon Dr. Robert Lamb Receives National Honor

In September, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons held its Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. During Opening Ceremonies, more than 30 award recipients were honored for their many accomplishments. Among them was Dr. Robert Lamb of Edmond who received the AAOMS Humanitarian of the Year Award. A retired Colonel (USAF), Lamb received his OMS training at the University of Oklahoma and was subsequently assigned to Tinker AFB. Following his military commitment, he practiced for many years in Edmond before his recent and well-deserved retirement. He was coaxed out of retirement to join the OMS faculty at OUCOD where he currently teaches predoctoral students and OMS residents.

Lamb’s selection was based largely on his numerous dental mission trips to Central America. He ultimately established a permanent clinic there, and then organized other dentists to staff it on a rotating basis. Each year since the clinic’s establishment, Lamb has spent multiple weekly rotations there. As if that wasn’t enough, he has also served for many years as the Oral Surgery Lead for OkMOM. Even after turning the reins over to other surgeons, he continued to mentor the new OMS Leads. Lamb has done all of this completely “below the radar,” never seeking personal recognition. For his years of dedication and selfless service to others, this AAOMS award is extremely well-deserved and quite an honor for a man who counts being a husband, father and grandfather as his most important accomplishments. During the coming year, Lamb will serve as President of the American College of Dentists after years of service as a District Regent. The ACD’s principal focus is the promotion of ethics and diversity in dentistry. There is no person more qualified to fill this role than Dr. Robert Lamb. It was a true joy to join his wife, Donna, and their children who were in Nashville to witness the award presentation. Congratulations, Dr. Lamb! Dr. Ed Braly Past-President, Oklahoma Dental Association Diplomate, American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Following his recognition, Dr. Lamb was approached about what this award has meant to him personally. The following are his reflections.

WHAT DOES THIS AWARD MEAN TO YOU? There is no greater honor than being recognized by your peers, but I did not do the work to be recognized or to get an award. I’ve gone to Guatemala for nearly 30 years because I enjoy serving people less fortunate. Many people don’t realize how fortunate we are to live in the United States and have the advantage of a great healthcare system. HOW IS THIS AWARD SELECTED? I was nominated by a fellow oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Board of Trustees reviewed the award packet. The Humanitarian of the Year Award was established in 1997 to honor an AAOMS Fellow or Member for participation in community leadership or volunteer projects, including efforts on an international basis. Two oral and maxillofacial surgeons are selected per year for this award. I was particularly honored to have this award presented by a friend, Dr. B. D. Tiner, President of AAOMS. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE AAOMS. I have not been involved much at the national level of AAOMS, but I was President of the Oklahoma Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 1995-96. Then I served as the Legislative Chair of the Oklahoma Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons for about 20 years. I was also President of the Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 2014-15. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I don’t really know what else to say. The dental profession is one of the greatest. There are so many great dentists out there, many of whom are giving to so many different organizations. We can all help in some way!