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"Recognition of the intellectual flowering growing out of this conjunction of two cultures seems worthy of our attention, if only to remind us again of the value of our differences."
Nellie W. Kremenak, Christopher A. Squier. "Pioneers in Oral Biology: The Migrations of Gottlieb, Kronfeld, Orban, Weinmann, and Sicher from Vienna to America" Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine 8(2):108-128 (1997).
Here you see a mandibular fixed bridge from the 5th or 4th century BC. Included in the discussion which accompanies this illustration is an extensive discussion of the critical importance of dental health to the early Hebrews, quite comparable to that of the early Chinese and other cultures who were advanced in their concepts of dental health and hygiene.
Ring, Malvin. Dentistry : an illustrated history / New York : Abrams ; St Louis, Mo., Mosby, 1985, p. 29.
There are a number of aspects to the Jewish law that may potentially impact on any dentist who has occasion to treat Jewish patients. Of particular prominence in Judaic tradition and law, are fillings, prostheses, and dentures, especially relative to purification and ritual immersion such as tevilah, also referred to as mikvah. The books here illustrate a few of the issues of common concern, and include such additional points of interest as circumstances under which a person may not be allowed to study dentistry.
Rosner, Fred. Pioneers in Jewish medical ethics / Northvale, NJ : Aronson, 1997. CALL NO: BM 538 .H43 P561 1997
Rosner, Fred. Practical medical halachah / 3rd rev. ed. Northvale, NJ : Aronson, 1997. CALL NO: BM 538 .H43 M431 1997
Other references on this topic:
Baharav H. Helft M. Cardash HS. Hyldesheimer A. Treatment considerations for the patient about to undergo ritual immersion. Refuat Ha-Shinayim. 3(3):21-2, 1985 Jul.
Bloom MS. Some aspects of Judaism and dentistry. New York Journal of Dentistry. 46(5):166, 1976 May.
Blustein AM. A dental debate from the Talmud. Bulletin of the History of Dentistry. 24(2):110-2, 1976 Oct.
Blustein AM. Denture psychology in the Talmud. Quintessence International. 6(5):81-2, 1975 May.
Cohen HP. Stern N. References to prosthetic dentistry in the Talmud. Bulletin of the History of Dentistry. 21(2):101-4, 1973 Dec.
Hoffman KF. [Teeth in the Talmud]. [German] Zahnarztliche Praxis. 21(23):276, 1970 Dec 1.
Maibaum WW. "Tevilah or not tevilah"--a religious consideration for the dental profession. Gen Dent. 1996 Mar-Apr;44(2):168-9.
Rosner, Fred. Encyclopedia of medicine in the Bible and the Talmud / Northvale, N.J. : Jason Aronson, c2000. CALL NO: R 135.5 .R6631 2000
Rosner, Fred. Jewish bioethics / Hoboken, NJ : KTAV Pub. House, c2000. CALL NO: R 724 .J481 2000
Tal M. Stern N. References to dentistry in the Bible and Talmud. Israel Journal of Dental Medicine. 25(1-2):E11-4, 9-12, 1976 Jan-Apr.
The Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity (AO) was originally founded in 1907 as a Jewish dental honorary society with the expressed mission of fighting discrimination in dental schools. This mission was of particular importance to the organization during both World Wars. You see here one page showing some of the wartime activities and contributions of AO. It has since taken on a wider role, however continues to maintain a close relationship with the Jewish dental community, the Anti-Defamation League, and helped to found the dental schools of both Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University. Alpha Omega has a strong service and philanthropic mission, exhibited through its promotion of service activities such as Special Olympics as well as through the Alpha Omega Foundation grants program to promote service, education, and access to health care. The funding for the Alpha Omega Student Forum here at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry came in part from this grants program. AO also has long helped to acknowledge exceptional contributions to the profession, Jewish community, and the fight against prejudice through their Achievement Award. In the article shown in this exhibit, you see some of the many recipients of the award, including Albert Einstein and Isaac Schour, among others. A full list of recipients is available on the AO website. Source/URL: Alpha Omega International Home Page: http://www.ao.org/
"The fraternity was founded out of necessity. By the turn of the century, discrimination against the Jew in dentistry was extensively apparent in all of its distorted forms, overtly and covertly."
Kelsey, C.C. "Alpha Omega (Philadelphia and Baltimore — 1909)." Alumni Bulletin, UM School of Dentistry, 1973, p. 66.
Theodor Blum was born in 1883 and the events described below would have most likely occurred in the late 1800s. This description serves to confirm the type of discrimination present at the time of the founding of Alpha Omega.
"Count Esterhazy once asked Father to visit him at his country estate. Father declined, pointing out that there was a sign at the entrance to the estate that read 'Jews and dogs are forbidden to enter.' The Count disclaimed any knowledge of the sign; if it existed, he said, he would have it removed. But Father never visited the Esterhazy estate."
Reich, William. Theodor Blum, D.D.S., M.D. New York Institute of Clinical Oral Pathology, (c)1963, p. 18
Dentists were among the many groups of professionals in Europe whose ranks were decimated or more by Hitler's policies against the Jews and other groups. As a particular example, the University of Vienna's dental program lost almost three-quarters of their faculty in 1938 when Hitler's forces occupied the city. Foremost among this group were Bernhard Gottlieb and his students, Balint Orban, Rudolf Kronfeld, Joseph Weinmann, and Harry Sicher. Gottlieb initially relocated to Tel Aviv where he hoped to found a leading dental research program, but later relocated to the United States, as had most of his students. In the United States, University of Michigan's Dean Bunting was a leader among those trying to welcome the "refugee dentist". Indeed, when Gottlieb eventually decided to relocate to the US, Bunting offered him a temporary faculty position here at UM while Gottlieb sought a permanent location. In this exhibit you see works by Gottlieb and his students, a presentation of Dean Bunting to the other deans in the AADS, and a document about the changes in the profession in Paris during Hitler's occupation. It is worth noting that even during the years in which Gottlieb, his students, and their families, were relocating of necessity that they maintained an active research and publication agenda. Note in the exhibit, Gottlieb's dedication to his secretary from the University of Vienna for her assistance during this troubled time.
"As part of the general social and political unrest which prevails in many of the European states the Jewish people have again become the object of persecution and oppression. To those of us in this country who find ourselves under more favorable circumstances the treatment of this racial minority has appeared to be unwarranted and inhumane. Nothing during recent times has so stirred the resentment of American people as has the unhappy plight of these people."
R. W. Bunting, Dean, University of Michigan School of Dentistry. "The Educational Problem Presented by the Refugee Dentist from Europe." AADS Annual Meeting, 16, 1939, p.40.
"It is my heart's desire and sacred duty to express my profoundest thanks to Miss Marie Zurek, Vienna, my scientific secretary for many years, for all the help she has given me throughout the years of our association, and especially for her support during the composition of the first monographs, which were completed under particularly difficult circumstances."
Gottlieb, B. Dentistry in individual phases. I: The Treatment of root canals. Tel Aviv: "Haaretz" Press, [1940], p. 6
"I have a photo here. A famous photo of the Third Reich. Hitler is talking with a tiny blonde girl over a fence. And [this photo] was produced in hundreds of thousands. And then it came out it [that she] was the daughter of a Jewish dentist. Then the Party asked to destroy the whole thing. And Hitler said no...."
Source/URL: Spitzy, Reinhard. PBS: People's Century: The Master Race: Interview with Reinhard Spitzy. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/peoplescentury/episodes/masterrace/spitzytranscript.html>. Additional information: <http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/10/08/stifgneur02003.html>
"Although the Liberation's departmental Dental Committee has concluded an investigation in favor of Doctor HULIN (see our preceding Bulletin, page 7), certain practitioners of the dental profession whose names follow are believed to have laid a complaint against this according to the Section for Refinement of the Regional Council of Physicians of the Paris Region. [list of names] This Section for Refinement, in the course of our meeting on the 15th of November 1945, has rendered the following judgement in their favor, confirming again the decision of the Committee of the Dental Department of the Liberation, approving their actions regarding Doctor HULIN following the occupation." Decision of the Section for Refinement of the Dental Committee.
"Bien que le Comité Dentaire départemental de la Libération ait conclu une enquête en faveur du Docteur HULIN (voir notre précédent Bulletin, page 7), certains Practiciens de la profession dentaire dont les noms suivent ont cru devoir déposer plainte contre celui-ci devant la Section d'Épuration du Conseil Régional des Médicins de la Région de Paris. [noms] Cette Section d'Épuration, au cours de sa séance du 15 Novembre 1945, a rendu le jugement suivant sa faveur, confirmant ainsi la décision du Comité dentaire départemental de la Libération rendant hommage à l'action du Docteur HULIN pendant l'occupation." Décision de la Section D'Épuration de la Comité Dentaire.
Morgenstern, Henri. Spoliation des dentistes juifs en France, 1940-1945 / Paris : J. Touzot, [1999]. CALL NO: DS 135 .F83 M726 1997, p.136.
Other resources:
Jacobs, Benjamin. The dentist of Auschwitz : a memoir / Lexington : University Press of Kentucky, c1995. CALL NO: D 804.3 .J321 1995;
Here you will see a small selection of dental research monographs and textbooks written by a few of the most important Jewish researchers and educators in the dental profession. Prominent names include Bernhard Gottlieb and his students, Balint Orban, Rudolf Kronfeld, Joseph Weinmann, and Harry Sicher. It is impossible to imagine what shape the field of periodontology would have today without the contributions of these and other leading Jewish dentists. Most of Gottlieb’s students emigrated to the United States around 1938 when Hitler's forces took Vienna and required the departure of Jewish faculty from the University there. You may notice this list includes some of the founders of the field of Periodontology (Balint & Orban, in particular). Indeed, it is difficult to imagine what shape the field of periodontology might have taken without the contributions of jewish researchers and educators. Additional influential figures include Theodor Blum and Isaac Schour, as well as many other names represented as officers and past-presidents of Alpha Omega.
In the exhibit:
"Theodor Blum was the most outstanding oral surgeon in America. ... Most important, I think, he was probably the first in medicine or dentistry to recognize the extreme importance or oral pathology; in fact, he was a founding father of the New York Institute of Clinical Oral Pathology."
Reich, William. Theodor Blum, D.D.S., M.D. New York Institute of Clinical Oral Pathology, (c)1963, p. 8
"Isaac Schour is known as the father of modern experimental histo-physiology of the teeth. He was among the first to see the value of using teeth for the study of systemic disorders. The rat incisor was Isaac's as well as nature's "Gift to Dental Research." "
Eulogy to Isaac Schour, D.D.S., Ph.D. 1900-1964. A friend of the Hebrew University. Alpha Omegan. 58(2):118, 1965 Sep.
"All I ever wanted to do was run a dance school and marry a Jewish dentist" - Goldie Hawn. URL: http://www.reelscreen.com/quotesarchive2.html
On the (sometimes) lighter side, Jewish dentists have contributed to popular culture as characters, caricatures, collectors, and creators. There is even a rumor that two Jewish dentists may have "invented" copper wire! In art, the poster collection of Dr. Hans Sachs (author of Der Zahnstocher und seine Geschichte) formed the core of the poster collection in the Museum for German History following his abrupt departure from Germany in 1938. [URL: <http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/sammlungen/plakate/>]
More recently, a 1997 short film focused almost entirely on the character of a Jewish dentist, and was curiously titled "Melvin Schmatzman: Freudian Dentist," starring actor David Margulies. "Waiting for Guffman" is another humorous film with a Jewish dentist as a significant character (Dr. Allan Pearl as played by Eugene Levy).
Not surprisingly, there have been a number of Jewish dentists prominent in athletics. Two Jewish dentists achieved renown as boxers — Leach Cross (a.k.a. Dr. Louis C. Wallach), lightweight champion in the early part of the century, and Meyer "Doc" Ellenstein, who was also the mayor of Newark, New Jersey. [Source/URL: http://www.jewhoo.com/] Dr. Robert Atlasz was also prominent in athletics, most notably as a member of the Israel Olympic Committee from 1959 until his death in 1990. Dr. Ian Froman developed the Israel Tennis Centers and received the Israel Prize in 1989 for his efforts in this area.
[Source: International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (Yad Le'ish Hasport Hayehudi). URL: http://www.shamansgarden.org/contributors.html]
In this section of the exhibit you see two novels (Day of Atonement and The Ritual Bath) by Faye Kellerman, a well known Jewish mystery author who received a dental degree but never practiced.
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Dentistry Library, University Libraries, University of Michigan |
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