Born in Martinsburg, Ohio, April 30, 1874, Chalmers Lyons moved with his family when he was seven to a farm near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
After earning his DDS from the University of Michigan in 1898, he began practicing dentistry in nearby Adrian. Nine years later, he moved to Jackson where he became associated in general practice with his brother, Dr. James W. Lyons.
From 1907 to 1909, Chalmers Lyons was an instructor in clinical dentistry. In 1910, he became a nonresident lecturer in clinical dentistry.
In 1911, Dr. Lyons earned his postgraduate degree of Doctor of Dental Science. Four years later was appointed professor of oral surgery and consulting dental surgeon to University Hospital, a position he held until his death in 1935.
Encouraged by Dr. Cyrenus Darling (acting dean from 1903 to 1907), Lyons in 1917 founded the Department of Oral Surgery in the University Hospital, one of the earliest of such clinics in the country.
Over the years, he became widely known and was sought by patients for his surgical treatment of cleft palate and harelip. His combination of professional achievement and personal charm made his a popular figure among colleagues and students.
He was also a frequent contributor to dental and medical literature and authored a textbook, Fractures and Dislocations of the Jaw. He also contributed chapters dealing with oral surgery in Ward's American Textbook of Operative Dentistry and in Mead's Oral Surgery.
In 1919, he became the first president of the Michigan State Dental Society, the forerunner of today's Michigan Dental Association.
In 1927, the Chalmers J. Lyons Club was founded. He was appointed chairman of the executive committee of the School of Dentistry in 1934. He died May 18,1935, less than a year after his appointment as head of the School.