Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID)

2007 PRESS RELEASES

Scholarship honors the first American Indian Dentist

By Jessica A. Rickert, D.D.S.

#1 – Dr. George Blue Spruce and dental students from the Arizona School of Dentistry.

Prior to 1492, this country was populated by many tribes of American Indians. We still believe that this life is represented by the circle - all things are connected. Seasons flow into each other, and the cycle is repeated endlessly. The skies move in a circle, seamlessly repeating the celestial patterns. In life, the end is connected to the beginning. Individuals come in and out of the circle, but the people continue on.

The circle was broken in 1492, and some tribes never recovered. On June 09, 2007, the circle once again was formed, when the Society of American Indian Dentists held its annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At its celebratory banquet, the drummers and singers and dancers and formed the circle and began the community dance, joining hands and moving clock-wise, swinging our arms to the drum cadence. Everyone joined in, including the Deans of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, other faculty from the SOD, local tribal officials, dentist, Dr. Bob Brandjord (the past president of the American Dental Association), dental students, spouses, children, pre-dental students, Dr. James Q. Swift (president of the American Dental Education Association), faculty from several dental schools and Dr. Christopher Halliday (chief dental officer of the U.S. Public Health Service). The drum beat pounded in our chests, as did our hearts, together in joy, dancing to honor the founder and president emeritus of the SAID.

#2 –Dr. Halliday, Chief dental officer, US Public Health Service, presents aUSPHS commendation to Dr. George Blue Spruce for immense contributions made as a U.S. Assistant Surgeon General.

Dr. George Blue Spruce, Jr. was the first American Indian dentist in the USA, a member of the Pueblo Tribe. He graduated in 1958 from Creighton University School of Dentistry. After military service, he joined the U.S. Public Health Service. After 30 years he retired as an Assistant Surgeon General and devoted himself to the SAID and to attracting American Indian youth into the profession of dentistry. He is currently assistant dean for American Indian affairs at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. To honor him, a dental scholarship was established in his name at the University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry. Sullivan-Schein gave $10,000.00 towards this fund, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Tribe matched this generous donation.

The SAID believes that it is important to double the current number of 125 American Indian Dentists; there are currently 25 American Indian dental students in the USA, and it is hoped that number can be raised to 100 very soon.

The SAID thanks Sullivan-Schein for its quick and gracious offer to sponsor a lunch & learn during our CEU’s; Sullivan-Schein then came forward with the offer to establish the Dr. George Blue Spruce, Jr. scholarship at the University of Minnesota. This is a most important step in the SAID realizing its dream. The SAID thanks the other sponsors as well, which include VOCO, Crest, Zimmer, Adec, Midmark, Proctor & Gamble, Oral B, Mystic Lake, Shakopee Mdwakanton Sioux and the University of Minnesota.

The Society of American Indian Dentists annual meeting will be held in June, 2008, in Arizona. All are welcome to attend.

All are welcome to join SAID. If you can help the SAID in any way, please contact Dr. Jessica A. Rickert at jarickert@charter.net. She is the first female American Indian Dentist, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

#3 –Dr. Mike Madden from the U of M accepts the generous donation from Sullivan-Schein to establish the Dr. George Blue Spruce scholarship at the University of Minnesota School of Dnetistry for American Indian Students who attend the U of M.

#4- Dr. George Blue Spruce wears the honor quilt handsewn for him by Minnesota tribal members.

#5 – Mr. Tony Groen from Sullivan-Schein presents the company’s generous donation which is the seed money for the “largest endowed scholarship fund for American Indian dental students” to Dr. George Blue Spruce

#6 – Dr. George Blue Spruce with his wife, Patricia, and friends
from the past 60 years.

#7 – Dr. Jessica A. Rickert, the first female American Indian Dentist and Dr. George Blue Spruce, the first male American Indian Dentist in the United States

#8 – Pre-dental student, Crystal McGraw, Dr. George Blue Spruce, Mrs. Paticia Blue Spruce, Dr. Richard J. Simonsen, Dean of Midwestern University College oof Dental Medicine

Photos by Dr. Richard J. Simonsen