The University of Alabama School of Dentsitry was established in Birmingham in 1948, and Joseph F. Volker became the first dean. He served until 1962. The School offers four full years of dental education and shares the administration of basic sciences departments with the University of Alabama School of Medicine. The dean of the School has administrative and financial responsibility for programs and the chairs of all dental departments report to the dean. As dean, Volker lobbied for and received funds with which to build a new School of Dentistry building, and he skillfully lobbied for additional research funds from public and private sources. Volker later served as University of Alabama vice president for health affairs, first president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and first chancellor of the University of Alabama System. He became a distinguished professor of UAB in 1982 and served until his death in 1989.
From the description of Administrative Files of Dean Joseph F. Volker 1948-1962. (Mervyn H. Sterne Library - UAB). WorldCat record id: 31026343
