According to an article on ada.org, orthodontist R.G. "Wick" Alexander, DDS, MSD, of Arlington, Tex, donated $1 million to the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston on August 27. The gift is the largest in the school’s 102-year history.

"With five orthodontists in the Alexander family, it is appropriate to give thanks to this wonderful specialty for the influence it has had in our lives and consequently thousands of our patients," said Alexander, who dedicated the donation to the memory of A.P. Westfall, the founder of the Orthodontics program at the UT Dental Branch. "Since it all started with Dr Westfall … we humbly dedicate this clinic to his memory. May his inspiration permeate through these walls to all future generations."

The gift will go toward theconstruction of a new dental school building in the Texas Medical Center’s South Campus.

Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS, MS, dean of the UT Dental Branch, said the school is "deeply grateful for this magnanimous expression of support for the future of dental education" at UT.

"Dr Alexander shares our vision to have a strong clinical program that is both contemporary and patient-centered, while at the same time expanding our research efforts for the improvement of the overall health of the individual," she said. 

A graduate of UT who also completed his orthodontic training there, Alexander is the creator of the Alexander Discipline, a philosophy of treatment used by orthodontists around the world. He is writing a book called The 20 Principles of the Alexander Discipline and continues to lecture internationally.

Groundbreaking on the new dental school, which is part of theconstruction of the new UT Research Park Complex, took place on August 30.