Temple University School of Dentistry - Odontolog Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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The cornerstone was laid with Masonic ceremonies, January 13, 1897. and the building opened for the fall term of September 1st, and formally dedicated on October 4th. In honor of its founder, the hospital has been named the Garretson Hospital. It occupies a large portion of the first floor of the new building, and is very beautifully equipped with all the needs of such an institution. In 1905, owing to the increase in patients, the hospital required more room, and a demand, or rather a petition, was made to the State for money to build a new hospital on the campus of the college. Great credit is due to Dr. Boen-ning, whose untiring efforts succeeded in getting enough money to build the new hospital. The new hospital building is now fully equipped, and stands as one of the most modern hospitals in the city. This year the Board of Lady Managers presented the hospital with a fine up-to-date ambulance, which adds greatly to the efficiency of the hospital service. R. C. B. 18

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In 1905 Dr. Leo Greenbaum was elected Assistant Dean and in June, 1906. Dr. S. H. Guilford resigned the office of Dean and Dr. Greenbaum was elected to that position. The last named is the present incumbent. The College has witnessed few changes in the Presidency of the Board of Trustees. The first incumbent was Rev. Richard Newton, D.D., the second was Hon. James Pollock, LL.D., and the present incumbent is General James A. Beaver, LL.D. At the time of its incorporation there were hut three other dental schools, beside the Philadelphia Dental College, with a combined attendance of one hundred students. To-day there arc in the United States more than fifty institutions, with a total yearly attendance of about five thousand students. In the forty years of its existence the Philadelphia Dental College has graduated no less than 3000 students. Like the other schools, it has advanced from a two-year to a three-year course, with supplemental spring and fall courses, covering three months or more. From a yearly curriculum that required thirty-four lectures from each professor it has advanced into one in which more than one hundred didactic lectures are given annually bv the incumbent of each chair. In addition to this, the clinical facilities have been enlarged, thereby giving to the students opportunities which were undreamed of years ago. One of the most recent advancements has been the establishment of technic courses in the Freshman and Junior years, this being of great advantage to the new student The Philadelphia Dental College was the first to introduce into its cur-ricuium a course of oral surgery and the first to establish a hospital for the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity. Professor Garretson was the first to introduce this, as a part of the dental curriculum. The Philadelphia Dental College in the many years of its existence has lost but five of its professors through death. These men were Dr. Garretson. Dr. McQuillen, Dr. C. A. Kingsbury. Dr. J. F. Flagg and H. H. Burchard. Each of these was a master in the art of teaching, and each at the time of his death was not only the Dean of the school, but the most distinguished member of the Faculty. During its existence two changes of location have been made necessary by the growth of the college. LTpon its establishment it was located at the northwest corner of Tenth and Arch Streets. There it remained until 1887, when it removed to a new and larger building on Cherry Street, below Eighteenth. Outgrowing these quarters in the course of eight years, it was decided to purchase ground in a new locality, and erect a large and commodious building, adapted solely to its own educational purposes. In 1896 a suitable location was found at Eighteenth, Buttonwood and Hamilton Streets, and here ground was broken and the erection of a new building begun. 1

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€ ur J eU) Affiliation of our alumni have already learned through the public press of the new relations assumed between their Alma Mater, the Philadelphia Dental College and the Temple University of this city. To those living at a distance and who may not have heard of the change, the announcement will probably come as a surprise, while to all is due a statement of what the movement means and how it came about. As is well known to almost everyone, when the effort was made to organize the first school for the teaching of dentistry, nearly seventy years ago, it was proposed that it be made a department of the medical school already in existence and of high standing. The offer was rejected bv the medical authorities because of the supposed inferior status of dentistry at that time. No other way being open, the school had to establish itself as a separate or independent institution with an individual charter, building, equipment and teaching corps. Having proven successful, other institutions of like character gradually became established in several states. Not until some thirty years after the establishment of the first dental school, and after the need of special dental instruction had become plainly apparent, did the medical school decide to organize dental departments. Later, universities with medical departments, also, in many instances established departments or schools of dentistry. The courses of instruction in the separate dental schools and those connected with medical colleges and universities have been almost exactly identical through all the years, excellent work being done in each, as shown by examinations before the State Board of Examiners. However, of later years, some preference has been shown by intending students (especially those from foreign countries) for dental schools associated with universities, a university diploma seeming to loom larger before their eyes than one issued by a separate or independent school. The Philadelphia Dental College has noticed this gradual change of sentiment for several years, and for some time it has become apparent to both the Board of Trustees and the Faculty that an affiliation with some larger educational institution would be advantageous to its interests. Temple University was thought of, but. although it had prosperous departments of Medicine. Law. Theology. Science and Art. it was not known that it desired to include Dentistry in its educational field. Tn a chance conversation between an official of each of the two institutions it transpired that Temple University did desire to have a dental college affiliation, but did not wish to undertake the establishment of a dental department de novo. Thus the way was open for conferences and negotiations which eventually resulted in a federation of the two institutions. 19