The International College of Dentist is a collegial organization of dentists worldwide whose conspicuous and meritorious commitment to the profession earned for them an accolade of recognition by their peers. The following excerpt historically recorded how this prestigious organization was born.
At a farewell gathering of dentist in Tokyo, Japan in November 1920 given for Dr. Louis Ottofy who was returning to America to resume his practice of Dentistry after twenty-three (23) years in the Orient, Japan and the Philippines that the idea of founding the International College of Dentists was broached.
One of the speakers, Dr. Tsurukichi Okumura lamented the existing situation in dentistry, that there was no definite means for dentists living in distant places to keep abreast with what was occurring in our profession.
A suggestion was likewise made that there should be some sort of international dental organization in which the individuals, not as a society could meet with fellow dental practitioners from even the remotest points. The Federation Dentaire International (FDI) is already an established organization then, but it was confined principally to those countries in which dentistry had made considerable progress. Dr. Ottofy was tasked to formulate an organization that would accomplish the goal of enabling dentists all over the world to meet and communicate internationally upon his return to America.
Not until 1926, at the 6th International Dental Congress in Philadelphia that concrete steps regarding this suggestion took place. Many of those who had been present at the farewell dinner in 1920 were attending the Congress, and a serious discussion to create an organization entirely different from any then existing in dentistry.
Members of various dental groups in attendance during the Congress from foreign countries, especially the officers of the FDI were consulted. Their reaction was more than favorable to the idea of creating a college, international scope by Dr. Ottofy. These men as individuals gave their hearty support to the project.
(From Dr. Ottofy’s Memoirs:) “After reviewing various organizations, I recalled that in some of the provinces of Canada, the dental profession is designated as the College of Dental Surgeons, and that in the Vatican there is a College of Cardinals, neither being an educational institution. The term college as ordinarily used and generally understood implies an educational institution. Then I looked up the meaning of the term, and found that the very first definition is this: A collection, body, or society of persons engaged in a common pursuits or having common duties and interests. That settled it and the “ International College of Dentists” came unbidden into my mind. I made a draft of the rules and considered the College organized or what would be a better designation, created on December 31, 1927.” 1
A sufficient number of dentists had shown an interest by December 31, 1927, so that a permanent organization could be established. The plans for the College had matured during the first half of 1928 to a point that permitted Dr. Ottofy to enlarge upon his idea and on July 9, 1928, the International College of Dentists was incorporated as a U.S.A. Section under the laws of the District of Columbia, USA. 2
Originally the membership was limited to 300 with no admission fee. Every country in the world was to be represented by at least one dentist; Canada, England, France and Russia were allotted five; and one for each of the large states in this country. Counties were asked to nominate the ablest, most progressive, best educated, ethical practitioners….regardless of domicile, nationality, race, colour or religion. The request was so faithfully carried out that in many instances no nomination could be made.3 The rest was history.
To date, there are twelve (13) autonomous sections listed below, with more than ten thousand (10,000) Fellows worldwide.
SECTION I United States of America
SECTION II Canada
SECTION III Mexico
SECTION IV South America, non-English and non-Spanish speaking Caribbean Islands
SECTION V Europe, Israel
SECTION XI India, Sri Lanka
SECTION XII Japan
SECTION XIII Australasian-Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Papua
SECTION IX Philippine Islands
SECTION X MIDDLE EAST Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Muscat, Oman, all Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
SECTION XI Korea
SECTION XII Chinese Taipei
SECTION XX International (Central America, Panama, China 22A, Hong Kong 22B, Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, North Africa, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Central Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, Bermuda, Bahamas, Malaysia and Myanmar
(Footnotes)
1 ICD Publication, A historical Compilation, History 1920 – 2000
2 Ibid
3 Ibid
Popularity: 70% [?]
