Everyone deserves quality dental care. We're here to make it happen.
In 1910 there were a total of 500 patients -More than 25,000 patients were treated in 2015.
The Toledo Dental Dispensary was organized and incorporated under:
Mrs. Zora Bowman, President Mr. T. A. DeVilbiss, 1st Vice President L. L. Barber, D. D. S., 2nd Vice President Rev. Karl Alter, Secretary Mr. Pratt Tracy, Treasurer (soon succeeded by Mr. Louis Kern as Treasurer)
The Dispensary has had eleven Executive Secretary-Directors:
In 1908, Doctor Ebersole of Cleveland talked before the Toledo Dental Society on dental dispensary work. About the same time, Doctor L. I. Zarbaugh of Toledo urged the formation of a society or clinic to care for indigents. As a result, at the instance of a small group of dentists who had become interested in the subject, the need for a dental clinic providing service for the poor children of the city was brought to the attention of the Toledo Dental Society in October of 1910, by Dr. D. A. Elwell who read a paper entitled "Philanthropy and Dentistry". The President of the Society, Dr. J. W. Hartshorn, was empowered to appoint a committee to arrange for such a clinic.
For two years, the Toledo Free Dental Clinic functioned more or less satisfactory with purely volunteer service by members of the Dental Society. Then, in 1912, the Board of Education took over the work for the school children and the clinic was moved to the Jefferson School building where the work was carried on by dentists employed by the Board.
In 1920, when the Community Chest was organized, Mr. A. A. Guild of the Social Service Federation and Miss Emma Roberts of the District Nurse Association urged the formation of a dental dispensary to give care to indigent adults.
