Before Dr. Charles Lambert moved back to his hometown of Athens, his friends at dental school were worried about how he would make a living.

“People would tease me when I told them I was going to practice in Athens, saying, ‘You’ll have to go back and trade services for a chicken or a cow or something,’ ” Lambert recalled, laughing.

It wasn’t too long before he did, indeed, take a sugar-cured ham and a hog as payment for an upper denture.

“I figured, you’ve got to eat, too,” Lambert said. “We had ham that night for dinner.”

This is a perfect example of how Lambert took care of his patients as individuals, said Sheila Odom, who has been a dental assistant and hygienist for Lambert since 1991.

“I was born at the top of the hill at Forrest Heights subdivision,” Lambert said. “I believe we should be proud of who we are and remember where we come from.”

Lambert grew up in Limestone County, attending Fairmount Elementary School, East Limestone High School and graduating from Athens High School.

“I married a girl I grew up with, Patricia Smith, in 1954,” Lambert said. “A month later, I got drafted.”

When he got out of the military and came back home, he and Patricia decided he would go to dental school. He graduated from Birmingham Southern after four years and from the University of Alabama in Birmingham after four years.

“We had three children while I was in college at dental school,” Lambert said, shaking his head. “Then our youngest later.”

Now, at nearly 74 years old, after beating prostrate cancer and open-heart surgery, Lambert believes it’s time to slow down and retire. He recently decided to sell the business, which he started more than 43 years ago, to Dr. Jason Cottingham. The two have worked together for more than five years. Lambert helps out one or two days a week at the practice when needed.

“Last Wednesday we finalized at 8:30 a.m. and I went to work for him at 10 a.m.,” Lambert said.

He makes a point of stressing the importance of rapport with co-workers and patients.

“Most of my patients have been friends, well, we’ve become friends at least. Your patients make you what you are,” Lambert said. “I feel like my patients educated my children, without them I’d be out in a cotton patch.”

Lambert has made a lot of friends in Athens after 43 years of dentistry. Some he grew up with, some he has worked with, and some were his faithful patients.

“A good friend once told me if you have five true friends in a lifetime you’re lucky,” said Odom, with tears in her eyes. “I consider Dr. Lambert one of those friends.”

She said Lambert had been a “good friend” to give her the advice.

Odom said she’s also learned a lot from Lambert over the years.

“When I came here I was still wet behind the ears in dentistry,” she said. “He’s taught me a lot. He’s been a boss, a teacher and will always be my friend with great respect.”