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Alpha Omega (fraternity)

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"ΑΩ" redirects here. For other uses, see Alpha and Omega (disambiguation).
Alpha Omega
ΑΩ
Founded1907; 117 years ago (1907)
Baltimore, MD
TypeProfessional
AffiliationPFA (former)
ScopeInternational
PublicationThe Alpha Omegan
Chapters125
Members6,000 living active
15,000 lifetime
PresidentGail Schupak, DMD
HeadquartersPO Box 30847
Clarksville, TN 37040
USA
WebsiteOfficial website

Alpha Omega (ΑΩ, sometimes AO), is a professional Jewish dental fraternity. It was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 by a group of dental students originally to fight discrimination in dental schools. The headquarters is currently located in Clarksville, TN.

Objectives

The objectives of the fraternity are to promote the profession of Dentistry; to establish, foster and develop high standards of scholarship, leadership and character; to inculcate a spirit of fellowship amongst all its members; to create and bind together a body of professional people, who, by scholarly attainments, faithful service and the maintenance of ethical ideals and principles, have achieved distinction; to honor achievement in others; to strive for breadth of vision, unity in action and accomplishment of ideals; to commend all worthy deeds, and if fraternal welfare demands, to call and counsel with its members; to accept, sponsor and develop the cultural and traditional achievements of our faith; to build within our fraternity a triangle, the base of which is Judaism, the supporting sides, professionalism and fraternalism.

Achievements

In 1953, the fraternity founded The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem. The fraternity also founded The Tel Aviv University School of Dental Medicine, now called the Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, in Tel Aviv, Israel. It continues to raise funds through campaigns and grants from its various foundations to provide continual support for both schools.[1][2][3]

History

  • 1907: At the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia, a group of students joined to create an organization called Ramach, the predecessor to Alpha Omega
  • 1907: A similar group with similar objectives known as Alpha Omega was organized in Baltimore. These two groups joined as the Alpha Omega Fraternity in 1907
  • 1912: First Alpha Omega Fraternity Convention was held in New York with 40 men in attendance
  • 1916: Constitution and bylaws were adopted
  • 1916: First alumni chapter was established in Philadelphia - prior to that Alpha Omega was made up of student chapters
  • 1917: First issue of the Alpha Omegan was published
  • 1921: Pi Student Chapter was formed in Toronto thereby expanding Alpha Omega into an international scope
  • 1924: First non-US alumni chapter was founded in Toronto
  • 1932: (October 7), merger with Alpha Zeta Gamma completed with chartering of Alpha Kappa and Alpha Lambda.
  • 1936: Alpha Omega establishes the Achievement Medal. Given to an individual outstanding in Dentistry or its allied sciences, in recognition of his or her professional contribution. Alpha Omega has honored many giants in the field of dentistry and medicine, which included Albert Einstein, Jonas Salk, Charles Best, Harry Sicher, D. W alter Cohen, Ronald Goldstein, Gordon Christensen and most recently R. Bruce Donoff, Dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine
  • 1941: Alpha Omega donates a mobile dental ambulance to the Royal Canadian Dental Corps
  • 1942: Three additional mobile dental ambulances were donated to the United States Army
  • 1946: Alpha Omega commitment in the creation of a dental school in Israel serves as impetus for the formation of its first chapters outside of North America
  • 1948: With the creation of the state of Israel Alpha Omega donated materials, including hospital and field equipment, as well as qualified teachers to help train Israeli personnel. Estimated value of the materials, service and equipment sent to Europe and Israel exceeded over $500,000
  • 1949: Alpha Omega Biological Laboratory at Brandeis University established - first corporate gift received by this newly established first Jewish-sponsored non-sectarian college
  • 1950: Headquarters relocated to New York City from Philadelphia
  • 1952: Founded the Hadassah, Hebrew University School of Dental Medicine (interim provisional school)
  • 1952: Harry Jolly of Canada becomes first non US president of Alpha Omega
  • 1953: Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, founded by Alpha Omega was formally dedicated in Jerusalem - Alpha Omega's contributions to date over $1.5 million
  • 1954: Israeli chapters chartered in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa
  • 1963: First European chapter established in Paris
  • 1969: The US Alpha Omega Foundation incorporated in the state of New York as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization
  • 2015: ΑΩ in partnership with Henry Schein launched the Alpha Omega Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program

Alpha Zeta Gamma

Alpha Zeta Gamma was a Jewish Dental Fraternity that officially merged with Alpha Omega on September 17, 1932.[4]: 37 

Alpha Zeta Gamma was founded at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery in 1910 with their Alpha chapter there and chartered in the State of Illinois on April 21, 1914. Additional chapters were at Northwestern (Beta) in 1914(?), Illinois (Gamma), Western Reserve (Delta) in 1912, Maryland (Theta) in 1921, Harvard (Eta), Pittsburgh (Kappa) in 1922 and Tufts (Phi) in 1923. Alumni Clubs were Illinois Alumni Club, Alpha Zeta Gamma Study Club of Chicago, The Boston Alumni Club and the New York Alumni Association.

A fire at the National Office in 1925 destroyed many early records. In November 1931, an invitation was extended to Alpha Omega to send representatives to meet with the Supreme Council of Alpha Zeta Gamma. With the merger viewed favorably, Alpha Omega invited representatives of Alpha Zeta Gamma to their 1931 convention in Buffalo, New York. Terms of the merger were approved at the convention by Alpha Omega and one week later by the Supreme Council of Alpha Zeta Gamma. At the January 18, 1932 meeting of the Chicago Dental Society, a joint banquet of Alpha Omega and Alpha Zeta Gamma showed positive sentiment on both sides. On September 17, 1932 the merger contract was signed and on October 7, 1932, the Alpha Zeta Gamma chapters at Chicago College of Dental Surgery (Loyola of Chicago) and Northwestern were chartered as chapters of Alpha Omega.

Chapters

This is a list of the chapters for Alpha Omega, in order of founding:[1][4][5]

Chapter Installed Date and Range Country University Location Status Reference
Ramach
(see Theta-Ramach) 		1907–1916 USA Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery
   to Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia (1909). That school would merge with

the University of Pennsylvania (1916)[a]

Philadelphia, PA Merged, 1916 [b]
Zeta
(see Zeta-Mu) 		1908–1923 USA University of Maryland[c] Baltimore, MD Merged, 1923 [d]
Beta October 9, 1910 USA University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Active
Gamma 1911 USA Tufts University Boston, MA Active
Iota
Originally, "Ididim"[e] 		1911 USA NYU (Square) New York, NY Active
Delta 1912–19xx USA Harvard University Boston, MA Inactive
Eta
Originally "Achim" 		1914 USA Columbia University New York, NY Active
Theta
(see Theta-Ramach) 		1914–1916 USA Temple University Philadelphia, PA Merged, 1916
Theta-Ramach 1916 USA Temple University Philadelphia, PA Active[f]
Sigma October 1916–1918 USA Jersey City College of Dentistry[g] Jersey City, NJ Inactive [h]
Alpha December 1916 USA SUNY Buffalo Buffalo, NY Active
Epsilon 1917 USA Georgetown University[i] Washington, D.C. Active
Kappa
(see Kappa-Nu) 		1918–1929 USA University of the Pacific (College of P&S) San Francisco, CA Merged, 1929
Lambda 1919–19xx USA Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry
(originally at North Pacific College) 		Portland, OR Inactive
Mu
(see Zeta-Mu) 		1919–1923 USA Baltimore College of Dental Surgery[j] Baltimore, MD Merged, 1923
Nu
(see Kappa-Nu) 		1920-1929 USA University of California at San Francisco[k] San Francisco, CA Merged, 1929
Xi 1920–1926 USA Colorado College of Dental Surgery[l] Denver, CO Inactive
Omicron 1920–1988 USA University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Inactive
Pi 1921 Canada University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Active [m]
Rho 1922–1968+ USA University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Inactive [n]
Zeta-Mu 1923 USA University of Maryland, College Park College Park, MD Active [o]
Tau 1924 USA University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Active [6]: 41 
Upsilon 1924–1987 USA Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Inactive [6]: 41 
Phi 1925–1987 USA University of Louisville Louisville, KY Inactive
Chi 1926 USA University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Active
Psi May 15, 1927 USA Ohio State University Columbus, OH Active
Alpha Alpha 1928 USA University of Illinois Chicago, IL Active
Alpha Beta 1928 USA Virginia Commonwealth Richmond, VA Active
Alpha Gamma 1928 USA Indiana Dental College Indianapolis, IN Active
Alpha Delta 1928–1988 USA Emory University[p] Atlanta, GA Inactive [7]
Alpha Epsilon 1929–1991 USA Washington University in St. Louis[q] St. Louis, MO Inactive
Kappa-Nu 1929 USA University of the Pacific (College of P&S) and
University of California at San Francisco[k] 		San Francisco, CA Active[r]
Alpha Eta February 14, 1931 USA University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Active
Alpha Iota April 22, 1931 USA University of Missouri Kansas City, MO Active [s]
Alpha Theta 1932–1971 ? USA Loyola University[t] New Orleans, LA Inactive [8]
Alpha Kappa October 7, 1932 USA Northwestern University Evanston, IL Active [u]
Alpha Lambda October 7, 1932 USA Loyola University Chicago, IL Active [v]
Alpha Mu 1932–19xx Canada Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia Inactive
Alpha Nu 1933 USA Detroit Medicine Detroit, MI Active
Alpha Zeta 1935–1984 USA University of Tennessee Memphis, TN Active
Alpha Xi Unassigned ?
Alpha Omicron Unassigned ?
Omega 1936 USA Case Western University Cleveland, OH Active
Alpha Chi 1945–19xx, 1988 USA Texas A&M University College of Dentistry
Originally at Baylor College of Dentistry 		Dallas, TX Active
Alpha Phi 1946–19xx USA Unassigned? St. Louis, MO Inactive
Alpha Pi 1956 Canada McGill University Montreal, Quebec Active
Alpha Sigma 1958 Israel Hebrew University Jerusalem Active
National Undergraduate Chapter 1959–19xx USA Howard University Washington, D.C. Inactive
Alpha Psi 1959–19xx USA Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ Inactive [9]
Alpha Rho 1959–19xx Canada University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Inactive
Alpha Upsilon 1960–19xx USA University of Alabama Birmingham, AL Inactive
Alpha Tau 1970 USA University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Active
Alpha Omega Unassigned ?
Beta Alpha 1971–19xx USA Meharry Medical Nashville, TN Inactive
Beta Beta 1974–19xx USA University of Florida Gainesville, FL Inactive
Beta Chi 1975-1988 USA Harwood University? Washington, DC Inactive
Beta Delta 1976 Canada University of Western Ontario London, ON Active
Beta Epsilon 1977 USA Boston University Boston, MA Active
Beta Eta 1979-1988 USA UT Houston (Texas Dentistry) Houston, TX Inactive
Beta Gamma 1980-19xx USA University of Texas, San Antonio San Antonio, TX Inactive
Beta Iota 1980 USA University of Colorado Aurora, CO Active
Beta Kappa 1982-19xx Israel Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Inactive
Beta Lambda 1984-19xx USA University of Connecticut Farmington, CT Inactive
Sigma Beta 1986-19xx USA SUNY, Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY Inactive
Delta Rho 1987-1990 USA Fairleigh Dickinson University[w] Rutherford, NJ[x] Inactive
Beta Upsilon 1990-19xx Argentina University of Buenos Aires ? Buenos Aires Inactive
Sigma Alpha 1990-19xx South Africa University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg Inactive
Tau Alpha Mu 19xx ? USA Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Active
Capítulo Lambda 19xx ? Mexico University of Monterrey Monterrey, Nuevo León Active
Gamma Beta 19xx ? USA Midwestern University Downers Grove, IL Active
Nu Gamma 19xx ? USA University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Active
Nu Epsilon 19xx ? USA University of New England Portland, ME Active

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In 1909 this school merged its assets into the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia, which in 1916 would itself merge into the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. The school had previously lost some faculty to create the dental school at Temple University, but this action pre-dated the formation of Alpha Omega by several decades.
  2. ^ This was the oldest chapter of the fraternity. In 1909 the young chapter was moved to Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia, which had absorbed the Penn College of Dental Surgery. Later that year, on December 20, 1909 it joined in a friendly merger with another local, which became the Zeta chapter, located in Baltimore. A decade later, when "Medico-Chi" merged into Penn, the 1933 history states that "when Medico-Chi passed out of existence, the members of Ramach were transferred, resulting in formation of Theta-Ramach chapter (p.65). The passive voice may indicate that they had little say in the matter, while their school was absorbed by Penn, the students of the chapter went to Temple. The History further remarks on the Theta-Ramach chapter's friendly relations with nearby Beta chapter (at Penn).
  3. ^ At formation, this chapter served three Baltimore area dental schools.
  4. ^ This was the first chapter to carry the name Alpha Omega, formed as a local in 1908. It joined in a friendly merger with the Ramach local in Philadelphia on December 20, 1909, taking the name Zeta chapter.
  5. ^ Hebrew for 'friends'.
  6. ^ Result of merger of Theta and Ramach chapters.
  7. ^ This school closed in 1918.
  8. ^ With the school's closure, most students transferred to Epsilon chapter at Georgetown.
  9. ^ Originally chartered at George Washington Dental College, a department of George Washington University. In 1904, what was then Columbian University changed its name to George Washington University, about a decade prior to establishment of the chapter. The chapter originally accepted members from both George Washington University and Georgetown Dental Colleges. The chapter officially moved to Georgetown University after closure of the George Washington Dental School (a department of GWU) in May 1920.
  10. ^ This school merged into the University of Maryland in 1923, prompting the mergers of Zeta and Mu chapters that year.
  11. ^ a b First formed at the nearby University of California.
  12. ^ This school closed in 1926.
  13. ^ First Canadian chapter.
  14. ^ This chapter originated as Tau Beta Phi (local), in 1920.
  15. ^ Result of merger of Zeta and Mu chapters.
  16. ^ Emory's dental school closed in the early 1990s.
  17. ^ Washington University's dental school closed in 1991.
  18. ^ Result of merger of Kappa and Nu chapters.
  19. ^ Originated as The Pulp Club (local) in 1929.
  20. ^ Loyola's dental school was closed in 1971.
  21. ^ Originated as the Beta chapter of Alpha Zeta Gamma, formed in 1914. A separate group of petitioners for a chapter of Alpha Omega was held in abeyance while the pending matter of a national merger was effected. Both groups were initiated to become Alpha Kappa chapter of Alpha Omega.
  22. ^ Originated as the Alpha chapter of Alpha Zeta Gamma, formed on October 1, 1910, at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. That school had briefly affiliated with Lake Forest University, then with Valparaiso, an arrangement that ended following WWI. It was independent for almost a decade until a 1926 merger with Loyola of Chicago.
  23. ^ The Fairleigh Dickinson School of Dentistry closed in 1990.
  24. ^ FD University has since moved from Rutherford to several other locations.

References

  1. ^ a b Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. V-8–9. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. ^ Noted, for example in this press released by the American Friends of Tel Aviv University, dated November 21, 2012, accessed 18 May 2022.
  3. ^ SDM Newsletter (PDF). Tel Aviv University. December 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2022. The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine: Founded by the Alpha Omega International Fraternity
  4. ^ a b Alpha Omega History. 1933.
  5. ^ William Raimond Baird (1977). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (19th ed.). Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated. p. 501.
  6. ^ a b The 1933 History of the fraternity has a typo on scanned p.41, where the chapter list swaps the locations of Tau and Upsilon chapters. The body text of that book confirms the correct schools.
  7. ^ Noted in Emory Magazine, in an article about Anti-Discrimination
  8. ^ "Open Wide".
  9. ^ Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry records span the years 1946-1965
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