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Dr.
George Blue Spruce Jr
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Scholarship
honors first American Indian dentist
By Craig Palmer Prior Lake, Minn.—
Posted June 20, 2007
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The
Society of American Indian Dentists
announced corporate-tribal support for
a new scholarship honoring Dr.
George Blue Spruce Jr., the first American
Indian dentist.
The scholarship initiated at
the 17th annual SAID meeting June 7-10
will assist American Indian dental students
at the University of Minnesota School
of Dentistry.
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
and Sullivan-Schein, a Henry Schein
Company, each contributed $10,000 toward
"the largest endowed scholarship fund
for American Indian dental students"
setting a goal of $200,000. Dr. Blue
Spruce, founder and president emeritus
of the SAID, is a former assistant surgeon
general in the U.S. Public Health Service.
The only American Indian on campus,
he was the first Pueblo American Indian
to graduate from a dental school, Creighton
University School of Dentistry, and
became the first American Indian dentist
in the United States. He is currently
assistant dean for American Indian affairs
at the Arizona School of Dentistry &
Oral Health. See also his paper on "The
Need for American Indian Dentists" posted
online.
Recognition:
Dr. Christopher G. Halliday (right),
chief dental officer, U.S.
Public Health Service, presents a USPHS
special commendation for Dr. Blue Spruce's
contributions as a U.S. assistant surgeon
general and director of the
Indian Health Service Phoenix Area Office.
(Photos by Dr. Richard J. Simonsen)
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Dr.
Blue Spruce received many awards from
the dental community including an ADA
presidential citation presented by Dr.
Robert Brandjord, the ADA's immediate
past president, "for your leadership in
the American Indian community and your
long-standing commitment to promoting
the dental health of American Indians."
A University of Minnesota pre-dental student,
Crystal McGraw, presented a special honor
quilt to Dr. Blue Spruce on behalf of
SAID members, and the Sisseton-Wahpeton
Vietnam Veterans Honor Guard presented
the colors at an honors ceremony. The
Society of American Indian Dentists meets
annually and usually in association with
a dental school and American Indian tribes
in the vicinity.
The society's membership as indicated
at the Web site, www.aaip.org/about/said.htm
, comprises approximately 65 American
Indian dentists representing 41 tribes.
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Dental
community: From left, Tony Groen,
Sullivan-Schein; Dr. Patrick Lloyd,
dean, University of
Minnesota School of Dentistry; Nicki
Cook, coordinator for admissions and
diversity, UMSOD;
Dr. Mike Madden, interim assistant
dean for admissions, UMSOD; Dr. Blue
Spruce;
Dr. James Q. Swift, president, American
Dental Education Association;
Dr. Bob Brandjord, past president,
ADA; and Dr. Halliday.
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The
University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
hosted this year's conference, New Trends in
Dentistry, at the Mystic Lake resort and casino
hotel near Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized
Indian tribe. Tribal members are direct lineal
descendants of Mdewakanton Dakota people who
lived in villages near the banks of the lower
Minnesota River. Dr. Michael J. Madden, the
dental school's interim assistant dean of admissions,
headed local planning for the meeting. University
of Minnesota and Indiana University dental faculty
provided continuing education programs on caries
risk and control, identification and diagnosis
of oral lesions, "meth mouth," and CAD/CAM technologies
for use in the dental office. Founder: Dr. Blue
Spruce shows the honor quilt presented to him
on behalf of members of SAID, the organization
he founded and served as president. The school
cited support for the conference from Procter
& Gamble, Oral-B, Midmark, VOCO, A-dec, Sullivan-Schein,
Zimmer Dental, Mystic Lake and the Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community. "This coming year
the SAID will make a concerted effort to increase
membership in the organization of American Indian
and Native Alaska dentists, dental hygienists,
dental assistants and other dental personnel
interested in improving the oral health of all
people and especially American Indian and Native
Alaskan community members," said Dr. Madden.
"The SAID will continue its efforts to recruit
and enroll American Indian and Native Alaskan
students in dental professional programs across
the United States." The SAID will hold its 2008
meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., with the support
of the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
in Mesa, which graduated its first class May
19, and Dr. Richard J. Simonsen, inaugural dean
of the Midwestern University College of Dental
Medicine in Glendale, Ariz. Dr. Nancy Reifel,
UCLA, will coordinate a SAID mentoring program
for American Indian and Native Alaskan dental
professional students.
Founder: Dr. Blue Spruce shows the honor quilt
presented to him on behalf of members of SAID,
the organization he founded and served as
president.
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June 20, 2007
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