Willard C. Fleming, a native Californian, was born in Sausalito, CA, October 11, 1899, and spent his adolescence there and in Alameda, CA. After serving in the army in WWI, he entered the College of Dentistry in the 1919-1920 session. A knee injured in the Army prevented him from graduating with the class of 1922, and he received the D.D.S. degree in 1923, having served as student body president.

Dr. Fleming became a part-time faculty member in the College of Dentistry in 1924, as instructor in operative dentistry, a post he held through 1925-26 session. In 1930-31 he became assistant professor in the same subject. Dr. Fleming became Assistant Dean of the College in 1935, and became Dean in 1939. He held this post until 1965 when he was appointed Dean of Students. Less than a year later he became Chancellor of UCSF, stepping down from this post in 1969.

An avid curiosity led Dr. Fleming to conduct research in periodontal disease even as a student, publishing eleven articles in that area 1923-1939. He served as president of the American Association of Dental Schools (1946) and the American College of Dentists (1951) and chair of the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association (ADA); vice-president of the AAAS (1955), and Commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Dr. Fleming received the following awards: F.A.C.D (American College of Dentists), D.Sc. (University of Southern California). and L.L.D. (University of Toronto and University of California. In 1967 he received the William John Gies Award of the American College of Dentists and an honorary fellowship in the National Academy of General Dentistry.