רפואת הפה והשיניים - עיתון ההסתדרות לרפואת שיניים בישראל - כרך ל"ח, גיליון מס' 1 שבט תשפ"א - ינואר 2021

On the face of it…

Landmarks in the history of dentistry in Israel

O fficial dentistry began probably in 1886, when Dr. Menachem Mendel Sosnitzky who studied in Germany, came to Israel and settled in Jerusalem. In 1890, Dr. Esther Gluckstein-Kalvarisky, born in 1869 and studied dentistry in Kharkov, came to Israel. She married Haim Margaliot- Kalvarisky, an agronom, who teached in Mikveh Israel, bought lands all over Israel and founded Yavne’el, Kfar Tavor, Menahamia and more. Dr. Gluckstein-Kalvarisky did not practice dentistry but joined her husband in his affairs. Dr. Gluckstein-Kalvarisky was the sister of Rivka Yaffe, wife of the famous Doctor Hillel Yaffe. In 1906, Dr. Miriam (Masha) Trachenberg (later Levitzky), born in 1872 and studied in Odessa, settled in Rishon Le’Zion, where she practiced dentistry. Dr. Levitzky later practiced in Jaffa. In 1907, two dentists arrived to Israel and settled in Jerusalem: Dr. Adela Sosnitzky (no connection to Menachem Mendel Sosnitzky is known) and Dr. Gordon, whose first name and details about her practice are unknown. In 1908, Dr. Fruma Weizmann, sister of the (future) president Haim Weizmann, who studied in Kiev came to Israel and practiced in a clinic in Jerusalem. In 1909, Dr. Li t v in ( her f i rst name is unknown), who studied in St. Peterbourg settled and practiced in Jerusalem.

By the end of the first decade of the 20th century, there were probably 4 active female dentists in Israel. In 1912 came Dr. Ida Zagrodsky who worked in Tel Aviv. Dr. Zagrodsky donated her dental tools for dental treatments in schools, and Dr. R. (probably Rachel) Levy (later Spector), who practiced in a private clinic in Tel Aviv. It is important to mention that in Dr. Levy’s dental clinic, the famous demonstrations of innovations in dentistry such as conductive anesthesia, were given by Dr. Shmuel Levi-Epstein, who had been sent by the Re l i ef Mi ss i on to I s rae l . Dr. Levin-Epstein was the father of Prof. Jacob Levin-Epstein, Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Hebrew University – Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem. Dr. Shmuel Levin Epstein, Dr. Spector- Levy and others like Dr. Kaspi-Rvrinsky used to meet every week to discuss professional issues. These meetings were the cornerstones of the Dentists’ Society in Israel. In 1914 came Dr. Pilick-Gildenson and Dr. Nechama Kino, who studied in Warsaw. Both practiced in private clinics in Tel Aviv.

Prof. Benny Peretz

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.1 רפואת הפה והשיניים, שבט תשפ״א, כרך ל״ח, גיליון