2014 Outstanding Alumnus Award Winner
Growing up in Memphis, Dr. Coley dreamed of becoming a great athlete. Instead, he became a great dentist and a true humanitarian, for which countless people in Memphis and around the globe are grateful.
A graduate of Memphis Central High School and Southwestern College (now known as Rhodes College), Coley received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1957. Following his graduation, Coley practiced in Memphis for 48 years — 15 as a General Dentist and 33 as an Endodontist. He also managed to find time to serve as an Associate Professor in the department of Operative Dentistry for 40 years.
Coley holds memberships in the American Dental Association, the Tennessee Dental Association, the Memphis Dental Society, the American Association of Endodontics, the Tennessee Academy of Endodontics, Southern Endodontic Study Club, and the Academy of General Dentistry.
Throughout his career, Coley has been singled out with numerous awards for his humanitarian efforts in Memphis, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico. Yet no community has benefited more from Coley’s humanitarian efforts than his beloved hometown, Memphis. In 1987, while serving the first board of directors of the newly-opened Church Health Center, he recognized a need for the Center to expand its focus to include dental care as well as medical care for the working uninsured. He convinced Dr. Scott Morris, Chief Executive Officer at the Church Health Center, to give him a small space for a dental office. Coley’s next step was to get the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry involved, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Two years after his vision for affordable dental care, the “small space for a dental office” was home to 50 volunteer general dentists, and 18 volunteer dental subspecialists cared for patients in their private offices. Today, almost 27 years later, the Dental Clinic at Church Health Center has 10 operatories, and it is projected that the number will increase to 25 in the Sears Crosstown Building, which is scheduled to be fully renovated in three to four years. The Clinic offers comprehensive dental care, including examinations, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns and periodontal therapy.
With the knowledge that his dream had come to fruition, Dr. Coley retired from active practice and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, and he and his wife, Frances moved to Heber Springs, Ark. Still, something in Dr. Coley tugged at his spirit, suggesting there was more work to be done in service to others. Guided by the Shakespearean quote and his personal motto, “to thine own self be true,” Coley reactivated his license and returned to Memphis, the Church Health Center, and the practice of Dentistry.
Dr. Rebecca Barton, who nominated Dr. Coley, first met him as a dental student and was instantly inspired.
“His [Coley’s} compassion for patients and students, his professionalism, dedication to UT and his colleagues, as well as his extraordinary altruistic accomplishments involving both the dental community and the community at large, serve as an inspiration to us all, “ Barton explained.
“He represents the epitome of a life well-lived, and his contributions reflect well upon himself, the dental community, and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry.”
View Past Dentistry Award Winners
