Five Newly Processed Collections Related to Dentistry

by Arthur Fowler, Archives Intern

Five dental collections have been processed and are now available for research at the McGovern Historical Center collection search site. (yay!)

These were the first collections I processed while interning at the McGovern Historical Center  this summer totalling almost 12 cubic feet of material. Materials included books, scrapbooks, papers, ephemera, plaques, and personal items belonging to dental professionals spanning 110 years from 1902 to 2012.

Like many people, I dislike going to the dentist, so some items in these collections such as the two albums of before and after mouth pictures in the Watts Papers (MS 209) were highly unpleasant to look at. At the same time, it was very interesting to learn about these dental schools and associations based in the Houston area that I had not heard about before.

Some of my favorite items included the video tape catalogs in the Levine Papers (MS 060) which had accompanying addendum catalogs and the very strange looking Old Time Ceramic Dentist Statue from MS 209.

Houston District Dental Society Records (IC 059), 1961-1968

The Greater Houston Dental Society, formerly the Houston District Dental Society, was founded in 1904 and serves as the Houston-area chapter of the Texas Dental Association and the American Dental Association. This collection is 0.25 cubic feet and contains four pictorial rosters for the members of The Houston District Dental Society from 1961 to 1968.

Barnet M. Levy, DDS Papers (MS 060), 1944-1987

This collection contains 0.5 cubic feet of papers related to the career of Barnet M. Levy who established the University of Texas Dental Science Institute in 1957. Materials include Levy’s published research papers spanning 1944 to 1986 and progress and director’s reports related to the UT Dental Science Institute between 1964 and 1979.

Jack H. Levine, DDS Papers (MS 072), 1975-1985

This collection contains 1 cubic foot of papers related to the professional life of Jack H. Levine, DDS who was born in Waco, Texas. He practiced dentistry for thirty-five years and taught at the University of Texas Dental Branch (UTDB) for fifteen years. Materials include UTDB annual faculty workshops from 1975 to 1981, teaching handbooks, video tape catalogs, library resource guides, student guides, and a pictorial directory.

Walter Rehrauer, DDS and Texas Dental College Papers (MS 221), 1902-1966

This collection contains materials related to the life and career of Walter Rehrauer, DDS who was born in New York City in 1890. He graduated from the Texas Dental College in 1914 and then served in the U.S. Navy or Naval Reserve during World War I, the inter-war period, World War II and beyond. The collection is 1 cubic foot of papers including those related to his military service, pictures of Texas Dental College students and faculty from 1914 and 1916, and a scrapbook.

Elie M. Watts III, DDS Papers (MS 209), 1940-2012

This collection is about 9 cubic feet of materials related to the life and career of Elie M. Watts, DDS who was born in Bowie, Texas. He graduated from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University – Commerce) in Commerce in 1960, earned his Degree of Doctor in Dental Surgery from UT Dental Branch from UTDB in 1964, and completed his post-graduate residency at Baylor College of Dentistry in 1967. From 1964 to 1966 he spent 27 months in the US Naval Dental Corp. He ran a private practice in New Boston, Texas from 1968 to 2012. The collection contains papers and ephemera related to Watt’s personal life, plaques, lab manuals from both UTDB and his continuing education, and items from his private practice.