ATKINSON, DR. WILLIAM HENRY (23 Jan. 1815-2 April 1891), an early Cleveland dentist, was a pioneer in dental surgery and the first president of the American Dental Association.
Born in Newtown, PA. to David and Mary (Margerum) 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson, William worked as a farmhand and tailor's apprentice. He began studying medicine in 1840 with Dr. William Woodruff in Meadville, PA. 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson received his M.D. from Willoughby University (1847), and an honorary D.D.S. degree from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery (1859).
365bet体育在线世界杯kinson practiced first in Meadville before moving to Norwalk, Ohio, where a travelling dentist inspired him to choose dentistry as a profession.
When 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson came to Cleveland in 1853, he was the first dentist to demand a higher standard of fees for dental surgery and place his services on the time basis. He is credited with a number of important methods used in dentistry. He reintroduced the hand mallet to condense gold fillings and designed new instruments to build contour fillings.
A student of microscopy and the natural sciences, 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson was a tireless researcher and prolific writer who contributed substantially to dental literature. In 1857 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson was present at the organizational meeting of the Northern Ohio Dental Association. In 1860 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson was elected as the first president of the American Dental Association at the first regular meeting in Washington where the constitution and bylaws were adopted.
365bet体育在线世界杯kinson married Martha Woodruff on 17 May 1840. They had eight children. 365bet体育在线世界杯kinson moved his practice to New York City in 1861. He died there and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.