Frank Abbott
(September 5, 1836 – April 20, 1897) was president of the
American Dental Association
(1888), president of the
National Association of Dental Faculties
(1895), a renowned
dentist
, an author on dental subjects, and an
inventor
of
dental instruments
such as various types of chisels, pluggers, excavators and scalers, some of which are still in use in the 21st century.
Background
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Born to a transplanted
English
family, Abbott attended local schools in
York County, Maine
and farmed in
Shapleigh
, Maine until the age of 16, when he began to travel. Beginning in 1855, he studied dentistry under Dr. J.E. Ostrander in
Oneida, New York
. At age 22, Abbott opened his own dental practice in
Johnstown, New York
, and married Catherine Ann Cuyler, with whom he had three children.
Upon the outbreak of the
American Civil War
, Abbott served as a
lieutenant
of the
115th New York Volunteer Infantry
and was captured at
Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
. He was released from captivity as a part of a prisoner exchange.
Dental career
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After the Civil War, Abbott returned to his practice. A year later, he
matriculated
as a medical student at the
University of the City of New York
.
[
citation needed
]
While there, Abbott was appointed as clinical
lecturer
in
New York College of Dentistry
(1866), as Professor of Operative Dentistry (1868) and as
dean
, (1869).
From 1894 - 1895, Abbott failed in attempts to have the
trustees
there establish a Chair of
Pathology
and
Bacteriology
(with his son as incumbent) and to have the
University of New York
regents replace an act of incorporation of the college with a new regent-approved charter.
[
citation needed
]
Abbott also invented the first automatic
mallet
with an effective back-action. He also collected rare
American history
prints.
[
citation needed
]
Notable publications
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- Light vs. Heavy Gold Foil and Crystal Gold
- Transactions of the American Dental Association
, 1870, pp. 130?33
- Indigestion
, It's Causes and Effects
- Translations of the State Dental Society of New York
, 1875, pp. 39?48
- Caries of the Teeth
- Dental Cosmos
, XXI, 1879, pp. 56?64, 113-25, 177-84
- Pericementitis (
Perostitis
), Its Causes and Treatment
- Dental Cosmos
, XXV, 1883, pp. 418?23
- Microscopical Studies upon the Absorption of the Roots of Temporary Teeth
- Translations of the State Dental Society of New York
, 1884, pp. 45?53
- Hyperostosis
of Roots of Teeth
- Transactions of the American Dental Association
, 1886, pp. 105?24
- Odontoblasts
in Their Relation to Developing Dentine
, 1888, pp. 112?22
- Odontoblasts in Their Relation to Developing Dentine
, 1889, pp. 39?53
- Growth of Enamel
- Dental Pathology and Practice
(1896 textbook)
See also
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References
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- Johnson, Allen, ed.
Dictionary of American Biography
. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936.
- Who Was Who: Historical Volume, 1607-1896
, Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1967.