Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery - Dental Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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devoted itself has not taken its proper posi- tion until within a comparatively recent period: hut. in this respect, it has heen no worse off than other branches in former times, or than the entire profession at some periods of its history. Achievement followed achieve- ment until American dentistry ' s preeminence won the praise of the whole world. Not until after the close of the century was there heard a dissenting voice. In 1911, William Hunter, an English phy- sician, read a paper before the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University. In it he ac- cused American dentistry of causing much illness by building mausoleums of gold over a mass of sepsis. His theory of focal infec- tion, although not new, received wide pub- licity and the reaction was profound. At first those dentists who had insisted upon pulp re- moval in all abutment teeth protested vigor- ously. But overnight dentists began to discuss oral sepsis almost exclusively. The time had come for dentistry to face its fundamental scientific problems. It was shortly after this in 1916 that Colum- bia entered the field of dental education. The University took this step in response to the request of a group of leading dentists and physicians headed by Henry S. Dunning. A pamphlet was issued entitled A Dental School on University Lines which opened with the following words: Dentistry and Dental Education are on the threshold of ex- traordinary development but are unable to take advantage of their opportunities because of the traditional separation of dentistry and medicine. Dentistry has been shown by recent investigations and research to be logically a branch of general medicine. The project re- ceived wide endorsement, and a gift by James N. Jarvie made it possible for it to come to life. Columbia, by instituting dental education at the University, expressed its recognition of dentistry, both its accomplishments and its needs. The admission requirements that were established were identical with those of the School of Medicine. Courses in the basic sci- ences, the same as those offered in the medical school, were emphasized in the curriculum. The importance of these standards can be ap- preciated in light of the situation existing in dental education at this time. The reform movement in dental education lagged behind that of medicine; the Gies Re- port on dental education did not appear until 1926, sixteen years after the Flexner Report which did so much to improve our medical schools. In New York State four years of high school were required by law for entrance to dental school, but the phrase or its equiva- lent opened the gates for many students whose preparation was far less. The two schools existing in New York City when Columbia ' s dental school was founded, were both proprietory and much more interested in profits than the preparation of students for their profession. Poorly housed, badly admin- istered, inadequately staffed, these schools failed to provide technical training, not to speak of groundi ng in the basic sciences. Nor were there any signs of improvement, for in 1923, seven years later, both schools were classified as C by the Dental Educational Gouncil of America. Under these circumstances, the founding of the School of Dentistry by Columbia Uni- versity was a very important event in the his- tory of dentistry. A great American university in the largest city of the world had asked dentistry to take its place as an equal member of its medical family. Medicine at this time was no longer the medicine of 1840. Great scientific discoveries had enabled it to con- quer one devastating disease after another. Dentistry was also different. It had mastered its art and W. D. Miller had already demon- strated through his monumental work in Koch ' s laboratory, that the answer to the basic scientific problems of dentistry were to be found in the great medical centers. The founding of a dental school by Colum- bia University would have been in itself a sig- nificant event in the history of dentistry. But even in the brief time that has elapsed, histor- ically speaking, there is already other evidence of Columbia ' s influence. In 1926, the Gies Re- port evaluated Columbia ' s dental school as

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Columbia University Its Place in the History of Dentistry The place that Columbia occupies in the history of dentistry can be understood only in the light of the historical circumstances surrounding the establishment of dental edu- cation in the United States. During the first half of the nineteenth cen- tury, medical practice consisted mainly of bleeding, purging, and leeching, while inci- sions and amputations comprised the bulk of surgery. In dentistry, extractions were painful and crude, replacements primitive and costly, while fillings failed to preserve the teeth in which they were placed. The need for more effective treatment was equally great in den- tistry and medicine, but the manner in which this need could be satisfied was entirely dif- ferent for each. Dentistry could progress by simply bettering its instruments, materials and techniques. Medicine could not improve its therapy without basic scientific discoveries. Dentistry could leave its fundamental scien- tific problems for a later day. Medicine had to face them first. Dentistry and medicine were dissimilar in other respects. Facilities for the education of physicians, poor as they were, did nevertheless exist. For dentists these were lacking. Precep- torships with recognized dentists were few and expensive and consequently most of the prac- titioners of the period were self trained. This situation disturbed leading dentists of the pe- riod but they did nothing until events precipi- tated a crisis. Two events took place during the decade preceding 1839 which threatened all the gains that dentistry had made thus far. In 1829, with drums and trumpets, two French charla- tans introduced silver amalgan in New York City. They succeeded, temporarily at least, in causing an exodus of patients from the offices of the leading practitioners. There followed a violent controversy regarding the use of the L. Laszlo Schwartz, D.D.S. new material. This dispute was so great that it was not resolved until almost the close of the last century and is known in historical circles as the Amalgam War. In 1837 a financial panic swept the country. Because of the widespread unemployment and the lack of legislation, dentistry was overrun by unqualified practitioners, the number of dentists doubling during the two years of the panic. The situation was one which no longer permitted leisurely discussion but demanded immediate action. In rapid succession there came to life the American Journal of Dental Science, The Baltimore College of Dental Sur- gery, and the American Society of Dental Surgeons. The decision to found a dental school was not an easy one to make. There is ample evi- dence that it was reached with much reluc- tance. The hope that some way could be found to include the education of dentists in medi- cal schools was expressed by Chapin A. Har- ris, one of the founders of the new school, eight months before its charter was granted. When all was dark and hopeless, wrote Harris, the idea was conceived of establish- ing a Dental College and professionalizing dental surgery. Only the pressure of circum- stances could force a solution to the dilemna confronting the leading dentists and physi- cians of the day. They wanted to include the education of dentists in medical schools but knew that such a step would not serve the best interests of dentistry at this time. The idea of establishing a dental school proved to be a good one. In 1867 Harvard University acknowledged its success by estab- lishing a dental department. Five years later. Oliver Wendell Holmes in a famous address at the commencement exercises of this de- partment said: The branch of the medical profession to which this graduating class has

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follows: The minimum academic require- ment for admission, identical with that of the School of Medicine, was two years of approved work in an academic college, the most ad- vanced in dentistry until 1923. The leader- ship, through example, that Columbia has pro- vided in dental education is illustrated by the fact that in 1926 this requirement was adopted by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. Many changes have taken place since the original School of Dentistry was started with two students in the old building of the College of Physicians and Surgeons on 59th Street. The school is so young and some of the changes so recent that their evaluation must be left to the future. It is possible, however, to point out one characteristic of the changes that have occurred, namely that they have consistently followed the principle that dentistry is a branch of general medicine. The aim that has persisted unaltered through changes of name, location and leadership was clearly expressed by William B. Dunning, one of the founders. In 1916 he wrote as follows: The dentist of the future must be a medi- cal man in a sense which has not been ob- tained before. His field is to be, not the mouth, but the human body from that special view- point. He must be a broadly cultivated man, with a university training which shall insure that he continue a student through life. Graduates of the Class of 1952 School of Dental and Oral Surgery Columbia University Gentlemen : In the name of the Dental Alumni Association, may I congratulate you on the completion of your undergraduate professional training. We have stood where you do now and we know that you can face the world with con- fidence. You have many advantages: your training has been superior to ours; the public has accepted dentistry as a health profession; you are older and more mature. Your instructors have done much to fit you for the task ahead. I am sure they have emphasized that you know enough to begin the practice of dentistry and also that you have much to learn — that you may spend the years ahead learning and per- fecting your skills. We of the Alumni offer you our support. We know the setbacks and disappoint- ments that are ahead and we hope we can soften the blows. Through our student liaison committee we are at your service during school years for consultation and advice. To fellow members of our Alumni Association we offer select postgraduate courses at the school and the vast experience of our members. Many are leaders in their fields. We wish you great success in Dentistry and invite you to join us in our Asso- ciation of Dental Alumni, that we may march together as our profession goes for- ward to higher goals. Sincerely yours, John Tynan Flynn, D.D.S. , Pres. Columbia Dental Alumni Association 8