Historic gift will advance urgently needed dental research and honor a former faculty member
Bill Cornell, Jr. ’64D (Pdc), DDS, and Roland R. Hawes ’49, ’51M, DMD, December 2003 (Photo provided by the Cornells)
R. William “Bill” Cornell, Jr. ’64D (Pdc), DDS, and his wife, Chloe Cornell, have made a historic $2 million gift to UR Medicine’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) during For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester. Their generosity establishes the Dr. R. William Cornell & Chloe T. Cornell Preventive Dentistry Endowment Fund, advancing urgently needed dental research, while honoring a former EIOH pediatric dentistry chair.
This fund comes at a pivotal time: with federal support for dental research facing challenges and regional clinics closing, wait times for new patients seeking care at EIOH have stretched to months and even years. Because of the Cornells’ generosity, EIOH can better address these issues and expand oral disease prevention initiatives, advance research, develop innovative approaches to care, and pursue collaborative projects that address access challenges.
“We are incredibly grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Cornell for this significant investment in our mission and in research,” says Eli Eliav, DMD, PhD, MBA, EIOH director. “Their generosity will help us drive discovery, better equip dentists and specialists, and, ultimately, help more people who need dental care.”
For Cornell, who earned a postdoctoral certificate in pediatric dentistry from EIOH in 1964, the gift is deeply personal. It supports research and prevention and recognizes a mentor and friend, Roland R. Hawes ’49, ’51M, DMD, who died in 2018.
“Roland always led with integrity, believed in research and clinical outreach, and cared deeply for his students, colleagues, and patients,” says Cornell. “Chloe and I created this fund to honor his impact on our lives, while also providing faculty members with research funding they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Cornell first met Hawes as a postdoctoral resident at EIOH. Years later, they served together as faculty and department chairs at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. “Over time, Roland and I lost touch,” he says. “But when I retired in 2001 and we moved to Naples, Florida, I discovered that Roland and his wife, Jo, had also settled there. Every time we got together, we talked about dentistry—what was new, and how the profession was changing. He was always encouraging, and we wanted to recognize his influence and carry forward his commitment to dentistry and research. This gift is a way to do that.”
The national oral health crisis underscores the need for innovative research to develop and test new prevention strategies, evaluate delivery systems, and generate evidence to help providers reach patients earlier and more effectively. “No one’s health should be limited by something as preventable as tooth decay,” says Eliav, noting the proven measures of fluoride, dental sealants, and nutrition education.
This fund will help tackle tooth decay—the most common chronic childhood disease, and one that is almost entirely preventable. Families in underserved communities face multiple barriers to care, and children with untreated cavities suffer from pain, disrupted learning, and difficulties with sleeping and eating.
“By reaching children early with proven strategies, we can stop cavities before they start, reduce long-term oral health complications, and build habits that last a lifetime,” adds Eliav. “The Cornells’ generous gift will have a meaningful and transformative impact.”
Throughout Cornell’s career, he has seen both the pressing need for progress and the consequences of untreated dental disease—pain, lost sleep, missed school, and the burden of unplanned hospital care. “Preventive care works, and research works,” he says. “We made this gift with the hope that more people of all ages will benefit from both.”
About Bill Cornell ’64D (Pdc), DDS
Cornell earned his DDS from Case Western Reserve University. After EIOH, he opened a private practice in Cleveland, Ohio, and taught part-time at Case Western Reserve University. Later, he became chair of pediatric dentistry at Northwestern University Dental School, serving until his retirement in 2001.
In addition to his academic, teaching, and clinical career, Cornell fulfilled a two-year commitment in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a dentist. Since retiring, he has served as a volunteer pediatric dentist for the Collier County Health Department in Naples, Florida, and as an adjunct clinical professor at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
For Ever Better
Philanthropy and engagement are critical to the future success of the University. Learn how you can support For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester.
To make a difference at EIOH, contact Reinaldo Maluli, Director of EIOH Advancement and Alumni Relations.
