不良研究所

Dr. Earl Lerner: A dedicated philanthropist and artist

听Pictured: Dr. Lerner with one of his carvings. Photo credit: Ioana Dumitru

It鈥檚 rare to come across someone like Dr. Earl Lerner. He is a very passionate man. Passionate about his profession, about giving and about his free time. He is an orthodontist, a philanthropist, an artist, an active athlete, a dedicated father and grandfather.

A shelf portraying Dr. Lerner's artistry, awards and photos of his scholarship's recipients. Photo credit: Ioana Dumitru

Dr. Lerner, DDS 鈥63, started his BSc in Sciences at 不良研究所 and with a little encouragement from a friend applied to dentistry on a whim after his third year of studies. With his artistic side and excellent fine motor skills he passed his DAT easily (his friend didn鈥檛) and the rest is history. Since finishing his specialty training in orthodontics at Columbia University in 1966, Dr. Lerner has been a keen advocate of living well. 鈥淚鈥檝e always taken at least one day a week so I can have some time pursuing my other interests,鈥 says Dr. Lerner, 鈥渋t鈥檚 been an important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance.鈥 In his free moments he finds time to relax and let go of the demands life has by being active and wild fowl carving. 鈥淚鈥檝e always had an artistic side. When I discovered carving it was a great escape and challenge for me. Hours can pass by without me noticing when I鈥檓 in my workshop,鈥 he says. He is an expert wildfowl sculptor and his home shows the fruits of years of artistry. Adorned with birds of all types and ribbons galore, on first appearance you would think Dr. Lerner is a pro sports hunter. His wooden sculptures are shockingly lifelike. One has to touch it to realise the feathers are actually carved in wood. Over the years he has refined his carving and painting techniques and won many awards nationally and internationally. His ability to work with his hands as an artist was 鈥渁lmost like a transfer鈥 from his daily practice of orthodontics.

A carving overlooking the living room in Dr. Lerner's home. Photo credit: Ioana Dumitru
As a philanthropist, Dr. Lerner has been contributing to an undergraduate student scholarship award for the past 15 years. 鈥淏y giving a little I鈥檓 able to make a big difference in a student鈥檚 life,鈥 says Lerner. Each year, a DMD student receives the Dr. Earl Lerner Faculty Scholarship at the White Coat Ceremony. Winning this award comes with more than just money 鈥 the student also gets a mentor in Dr. Lerner. He gives because he likes to and feels that it is the least he can do for the students and to give back for all he has received from 不良研究所. 鈥淕etting an education today is costly and students shouldn鈥檛 have to accumulate so much debt so young. As for mentoring students, I don鈥檛 come from a family of dentists, I had no mentor, no one to turn to when I was a student,鈥 he says. 鈥淪tudents are under a lot of stress, much pressure and they may need to talk to someone when they are trying to make decisions about their future or just need to find some motivation.鈥 Dr. Lerner recently joined the Faculty鈥檚 mentorship program as well to listen, to give advice, and lend his experience to students. Dr. Lerner oozes energy and is proud of what he鈥檚 accomplished. His dedication to helping young students learn and grow in their own careers is exemplary. It is thanks to him, and others with this same dedication, that our Faculty continues to be such a great place. Passion, empowering passion.

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