Eleazar Parmly: clinician, educator, poet

Eleazar Parmly was one of the major figures in the history of American dentistry. He was, to a large extent, responsible for rescuing American dentistry from a primitive craft and establishing it as a respected profession, with national societies, ethical principles, dental degrees representing appropriate qualifications, national journals where knowledge could be imparted, and the development of dental colleges. In addition to being a well-trained practitioner and educator, with graduate studies in England and France, Parmly was a gifted poet and set down his autobiography in verse.