Dental students demonstrating conscientiousness in studies, helpfulness and charity receive support from this fund.
The family, friends, patients and colleagues of Paul Crombach, '71, created this endowed fund in his name to be used for an annual student award at the School of Dental Medicine.
Established in 2006, the fund provides an annual award to a student exemplifing the characteristics demonstrated by Dr. Crombach during his dental training, including conscientiousness in studies, sensitvity and appreciation for peers, helpfulness and charity.
A native of Webster, N.Y., Crombach earned an undergraduate degree at UB before entering dental school. Following two years in the Air Force after graduation, he established a practice in Ontario, N.Y.. In his 32-year career, Crombach cared for thousands of patients. He was committed to serving the special needs of a rural community (he was once paid in apples for tretaing migrant farm workers' children.) When he fell ill with leukemia in 2005, he received cards from more than 300 of his patients. A partner, Phil Gilson, DDS, said of Crombach, “He was a great communicator. He had the best bedside manner of any person I ever knew.”