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Records of the Virginia Dental Association, Accession # 88/Jul/17, Special Collections and Archives, Health Sciences Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.
Gift of the Virginia Dental Association.
On November 3, 1870 nine Virginia dentists met in Richmond to establish an organization to "cultivate the science and the art of dentistry, and all its collateral branches, to elevate and sustain the professional character of dentists; and to promote amongst them mutual improvement, social intercourse and good will." This meeting marked the creation of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) or the Virginia State Dental Association as it was named when first created. The VDA changed to its current name in 1970. The VDA was the successor to the first professional dental organization, the Virginia Society of Surgeon Dentists which was formed in 1842.
An early goal of the VDA was to create standards and regulations for the profession. When the VDA was formed there were no statutes regulating the practice of dentistry in Virginia. The VDA spent several years drafting a bill to present to the state legislature culminating in the passage of the Dental Act of 1886. This act also established the Virginia Board of Dental Examiners. The VDA also successfully campaigned in 1915 to have a representative on the State Board of Health making Virginia the first state to include a dentist on such a board. In 1936 the VDA helped pass a bill that outlawed advertising dental services and prices as a means of protecting the public from unethical dental practices. This remained in effect until the early 1980s when the Federal Trade Commission ruled that truthful advertising could not be restricted.
Dental education was another subject of much interest and debate for the VDA. They supported the creation of the first dental school in Virginia in 1893 at the University College of Medicine (UCM). In 1913 UCM merged with the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), which had created its own dental school in 1897. For a time some members of the VDA thought that dentist should obtain an M.D. degree to practice medicine. The Dental Act only required a diploma and a certificate from the state board to practice dentistry. A dental degree was not required to sit for the state board exam. A law requiring an M.D. was passed in 1910, but was repealed in 1914 before any provisions were enacted.
The VDA, which is a component of the American Dental Association, created component societies in 1931. This was to better facilitate communication and professional development for member dentists throughout the state. Dentists who joined a component society also became members of the state and national associations through this tripartate structure. Virginia was divided into eight regions. Each region was arranged to have an existing local society within the area to become the component group where applicable. This arrangement is still in place today. The component societies are:
Component 1, Virginia Tidewater Dental Association, founded 1880
Component 2, Peninsula Dental Society, founded 1934
Component 3, Southside Dental Society, founded 1925
Component 4, Richmond Dental Society, founded 1894
Component 5, Piedmont Dental Society, founded 1916
Component 6, Southwest Virginia Dental Society, founded 1917
Component 7, Shenandoah Valley Dental Association, founded 1914
Component 8, Northern Virginia Dental Society, founded 1931
The VDA began publishing its journal the
An annual meeting of the VDA was held for members to come together and benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas and practical knowledge. The meetings offered an opportunity to focus on issues such as professional ethics, dental legislation, public health and service, and education. Much of the work of the organization was carried out by committees, all of which were overseen by the governing body the Executive Council. The VDA had three elected officers the president, the preseident-elect, and the secretary-treasurer, as well as several appointed officers including the editor of the journal. The VDA did not have a headquarters until the organization hired its first executive secretary in 1964 and she set up the headquarters in her home. Since that time it has been located in several areas around Richmond. Today the VDA is governed by a board of directors and still holds an annual meeting. The VDA continues to help improve the profession and its members, support dental education, promote public dental health, and provide outreach services to underserved populations.
The records of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA), 1870-2011, include the official minutes and proceedings of the organization as well as committee records, component society materials, correspondence, financial records, annual meeting records and programs, membership records, subject files, materials relating to the American Dental Association and other national, state, and local dental organizations, and research files used to write One Hundred Years of Dentistry in Virginia. These records provide insight into the changes in the dental profession and also the evolution of professional organizations in general.
Series 1: Annual Compilation of Records, 1870-1972. This series, divided into two subseries, consists of the official minutes of the VDA and the records of the Executive Council, the main governing body of the organization.
Subseries 1.1: Minute Books, 1870-1963. The minute books contain annual meeting programs and proceedings, speeches and papers delivered at the meetings, the Bulletin the official publication of the VDA, committee reports, financial statements, newspaper clippings, member lists, and meeting attendee lists including guests and exhibitors. Also included in the minute books are reports from the Bureau of Dental Heath which often contains statistics regarding race and schools where clinics were held and reports of the State Board of Dental Examiners which include statistics regarding applicants for dental licenses.
Subseries 1.2: Executive Council Records, 1931-1972, bulk 1962-1972. These records include meeting minutes and reports along with some correspondence.
Series 2: Financial Records, 1887-1975. These records include bank statements and deposits, invoices, proposed budgets, receipts, and treasurer's books.
Series 3: Committees, 1924-1979. This series contains materials such as correspondence and reports of various standing and special committees.
Series 4: Annual Meetings, 1924-1980. This series includes materials related to the planning and execution of the meetings and is divided into four subseries.
Subseries 4.1: Annual Meeting Records, 1929-1980. This subseries contains general records such as correspondence, financial information, and publicity related to the planning of each annual meeting. Some files also include the proceedings for the meeting as well. The planning for most meetings began one to two years prior to the event, which is indicated by the inclusive date range listed for each folder.
Subseries 4.2: Local Arrangements and Program Committees, 1929-1939, 1954-1956, 1965. Materials in this subseries include correspondence and planning information related to arrangements for clinics, programs, and entertainment at the annual meetings.
Subseries 4.3: Programs, 1924-1970. This subseries contains copies of the official meeting programs.
Subseries 4.4: Meeting Exhibitors, 1927-1980. This subseries includes correspondence with vendors of dental related products and services requesting that the vendors purchase exhibit space or buy advertisements in the meeting program.
Series 5: Correspondence, 1917-1985. This series is divided into two subseries.
Subseries 5.1: General VDA Correspondence, 1917-1975. This subseries consists mostly of correspondence between the membership and the officers of the VDA. There is also some correspondence with the ADA, other state dental societies, the Virginia State Health Department, Virginia Board of Dental Examiners, and other state offices. The subjects most often covered include dues (overdue notices and disputes), issues related to the governance and structure of the VDA, meeting planning (locations, exhibitors, entertainment, and programs), legislative issues related dentistry, and professional ethics issues (advertising, obligations to public health, etc).
Subseries 5.2: Officer's Correspondence and Related Materials, 1927-1985. These files consist primarily of correspondence of specific officers of the VDA. Additionaly, some files also include speeches, photographs, and clippings.
Series 6: Component Societies, 1931-1978. This series contains materials such as correspondence, membership lists, and meeting programs from the eight component societies in Virginia.
Series 7: Administrative Files, 1919-1984. This series consists of subject and court files and is divided into two subseries.
Subseries 7:1: Subject Files, 1919-1984. Contains various subject files relating to legislative and professional issues, membership benefits such as insurance and retirement plans, and other materials such as newspaper clippings and photographs. Also includes membership card files kept by the VDA.
Subseries 7.2: Federal Trade Commission Case, 1960-1978. This subseries pertains to the Federal Trade Commission complaint against the American Dental Association and several of its constituent groups including the Virginia Dental Association and the Northern Virginia Dental Society (American Dental Association, et. al., Docket No. 9093). The FTC complaint stated that the ADA ethical codes violated anittrust laws by barring advertising and preventing price competition. Part of the defense strategy was to prove that the VDA and the NVDS were non-profit groups and as such were outside the FTC's jurisdiction. Documents in this subseries include Children's Dental Health Week materials, public service brochures promoting dental care, newspaper clipping discussing community outreach programs by the VDA, and materials on the governance and benefits of the two groups.
Series 8: National and State Dental Organizations, 1923-1976. This series contains materials such as correspondence, brochures, and newsletters from various other dental organizations includuing the American Dental Association, several local Virginia dental clubs, and some out-of-state dental groups.
Series 9: One Hundred Years of Dentistry in Virginia, 1873-1969. This series contains essays, speeches, research notes, photographs and related materials that were compiled to write this history. Research materials were compiled primarily by Hermie Wait Powell, the author, and Dr. William Newton Hodgkins
Series 10: VDA Journals, 1928-2011. This series contains an incomplete set of the
The records of the Virgina Dental Association have been divided into ten series with subseries as needed. Series 1: Annual Compilation of Records, 1870-1972 -- Series 2: Financial Records, 1887-1975 -- Series 3: Committees, 1924-1979 -- Series 4: Annual Meetings, 1929-1980 -- Series 5: Correspondence, 1917-1985 -- Series 6: Component Societies, 1931-1978 -- Series 7: Administrative Files, 1919-1984 -- Series 8: National and State Dental Organizations, 1923-1976 -- Series 9: One Hundred Years of Dentistry in Virginia, 1873-1963 -- Series 10: VDA Journals, 1928-2011. Efforts have been made to preserve the original arrangement of these files where applicable.
VCU Libraries digitized the
Contains six minute books: 1870-1877, 1878-1892, 1893-1903, 1904-1905, 1906-1911, and 1912-1915
The 1922 minutes mention that three women dentists were admitted into the VDA for the first time.
At the 1932 annual meeting Martin Dewey, president of the ADA, discussed the lack of Black dentists and also issues regarding dentists working with the Native American population.
The 1936 minutes contain letters from other Virginia dental groups, including the Old Dominion Dental Society (the separate organization for Black dentists), regarding support for legislation to outlaw advertising dentists.
The 1942 annual meeting marked the centennial celebration of organized dentistry in Virginia. The minutes include a resolution by the Committee on Tire Priorities for the Richmond Dental Society authorizing the VDA to work to have dentists given priority rating for automobile tires; a presentation by M.S. McClung of the Office of Price Control discussing the need for price control during war time; and Dr. Harry Bear's discussion of the accelerated program at the Medical College of Virginia, School of Dentistry for those persons who join the Army or Navy reserves during World War II.
During the 1952 meeting the president, J.H. Cocks, discussed civil defense training for dentists in the case of atomic attack. He also recommended the next president appoint a committee to study racial segregation as it concerned membership in the VDA.
Several documents from 1962 discuss the inclusion of Blacks in the VDA membership.
This committee was formerly known as Mouth Hygiene.
This committee was formed as a result of the Depression-era Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The committee worked with the state Emergency Relief Administration to set a fee scale for dental work performed for the unemployed.
This committee arranged a testimonial dinner at the annual meeting to honor Dr. Harry Lyons and his leadership as president of the American Dental Association.
The questionnaire includes full name, date of birth, name of colleges attended and degrees earned, date of admission to the association, veteran status and rank held, and any offices held in the association at the component and state levels.
The Mouth Hygiene committee became the Council on Dental Health in 1948. Folder 17 includes educational posters that were created to promote dental health.
This file contains reports from several special committees including Constitution and Bylaws, Collection of Amalgam Scraps, and a committee to study the feasibility of hiring an executive secretary for the Association.
This meeting was a convention cruise to Havana and Nassau.
Two meetings were held in 1966. The first was a convention cruise to San Juan and St. Thomas. The second meeting was held in Norfolk. Materials include registration cards and passenger lists for the cruise in addition to the general correspondence and other materials related to the planning of the meetings.
Folder 13 contains several photographs of the banquet.
Includes samples of meeting badges from several vendors
Several letters (June 16 and 19, December 2 and 13) between the VDA and the Old Dominion Dental Society discuss allowing Blacks membership in the VDA.
A letter dated April 11 states that the VDA has three female members.
Several letters concerning a bill that would more fully define the practice of dentistry and make it illegal for a person to conduct a dental practice under a trade name or corporation and a letter (December 29) from the ADA discussing the difficulties dentists encounter using alcohol in their practices due to Prohibition laws.
Several letters discussing dental care for school children in the Roanoke area and concerns about advertising dentists.
Correspondence about lifting the licensing tax on dentists.
A letter (April 17) from J.E. John of the VDA to C.J. Caraballo of Florida asking for guidance in accepting blacks into the state dental society. Caraballos' response (April 23) stated that both Florida and Alabama allowed Blacks to attend state meetings as guests and to pay a fee into the treasury to obtain a membership card which entitled them to membership in the ADA as well.
Correspondence includes a letter (April 29) from the Southern California State Dental Association regarding the formation of a National Woman's Auxiliary Board and another letter (November 10) from the ADA regarding the Army Dental Corps bill to increase the number of dentists to improve the level of care and service for military personnel.
Correspondence includes letters regarding the possible formation of a Southern Dental Association, a letter from the American Dental Hygienists' Association asking for names of licensed hygienists (licenses not required in Virginia at that time), and Stephen J. Lewis of the Old Dominion Dental Society asking for a copy of the VDA constitution and the bylaws to use as a guide for reorganizing their group.
Includes a letter (May 23) from F. L. Adams of Florida regarding membership of black dentists in the Virginia Association. The letter mentions a proposal to the ADA to provide black dentists with the opportunity to join the ADA via their membership in the National Dental Association.
Correspondence includes a letter (May 18) from the VDA to Congressman Richard A. Poff expressing their hope that he will vote against the Anti-Fluoridation Bill.
Includes letters discussing the portion of the VDA bylaws which stated the Executive Council must approve members elected by the component societies. This was in conflict with the ADA bylaws, so an amendment was made stating that the component societies had the final say on members.
Correspondence includes an invitation from the ADA for a US Army sponsored program on nuclear disaster preparedness and the potential of using dentists in a para-medical capacity during an emergency.
President, 1980; also includes a copy of his President's Address.
President, 1928.
President, 1977.
President, 1978; also includes a copy of his President's Address as well as a few other speeches and clippings.
President, 1979; also includes a photograph, a copy of his President's Address, and clippings.
President, 1971; also includes a copy of his President's Address.
Executive Council, 1934; his correspondence mostly pertains to his work to abolish the state dental license tax.
President, 1970.
President, 1985, also includes a copy of his President's Address and a photograph.
President, 1940.
President, 1930; Secretary-Treasurer, 1935-1939.
President, 1974; also includes a copy of his President's Address and several other speeches.
President, 1969; also includes campaign materials for his 1975 bid for president of the ADA.
President, 1984; also includes a photograph and a 1984 speech to the MCV dental graduates.
President, 1936.
President, 1968.
President, 1983; also includes a copy of his President's Address.
President, 1972; also includes a photograph.
President, 1958.
Secretary-Treasurer, 1929-1935.
President, 1980; also includes a copy of his President's Address.
President, 1973; also includes a photograph.
Correspondence regarding the organization of local dental groups into component societies of the VDA and membership lists.
Materials for component society 8 include correspondence, annual reports, a history of the group, and programs from component meetings.
Contains correspondence, meeting minutes, and programs for the planning of the 1952 conference.
This lawsuit was filed in reaction to the charges by the NVDS that Golec had violated the ethics code of the Society by sending announcement cards to area dentist announcing service and staff additions at his practice. The suit was settled, the actions against Golec were expunged from his record, and the appropriate portion of the NVDS Code of Ethics was changed.
These records contain index cards listing member information including name, address, birth date, college attended, specialty, military service, details of participation in the VDA, and death date. Some records have obituaries attached. To view an Excel spreadsheet of all the dentists listed along with their college, date of graduation, city of practice, date of initial VDA membership, and death date please
Correspondence regarding this act and the designation of certain military bases as "rural areas" so that dependents on base could receive treatment from a military dentist.
A dental care program for school aged children
A request for documents from the law firm representing the VDA in the FTC case. Folders 22-28 contain the requested documents.
The newspaper clippings discuss the public dental health initiatives and other non-profit activities in which the VDA had engaged.
The manual was developed by the VDA and the Old Dominion Dental Society.
Documents relating to the governance and benefits of the VDA.
Documents relating to the VDA and the Northern Virginia Dental Society, both named in the FTC case.
These files include dues information, junior and student member information, and membership statements.
A digitized copy of the published
Address delivered by Dr. Carter Perkins before the Virginia Dental Society.
See also box 34 which contains oversized items from this file
Former president (1887), items include letters, programs, and announcements.
Former president of the VDA, he had collected information on the history of dentistry in Virginia and this book was dedicated to him.
Former president of the VDA. Items include memos from the dental surgeon of the 29th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, some correspondences, and some essays on dental practice and history.
See also box 34 which contains oversized items from this file.
This box contains typed note cards with information regarding the history of dentistry in Virginia, the VDA, dental legislation and procedures, and other related topics.
This box contains oversized items from the collection.
Please note that this is not a complete run of the journal.