Psi Omega () is an international
professional fraternity
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of profess ...
for
Dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...
. It was founded on June 8, 1892, ''"to maintain the standards of the profession, to encourage scientific investigation and literary culture."''
Psi Omega is the third professional dental fraternity to be formed, following
Delta Sigma Delta
Delta Sigma Delta (), founded on , is the oldest and largest of the international professional dental fraternities, pre-dating Xi Psi Phi (1889), Psi Omega (1892) and Alpha Omega (1907).
History
Its inception came when two dental students, L ...
(1882) and
Xi Psi Phi
Xi Psi Phi International Dental Fraternity () is an international professional fraternity for dentistry. It was founded on February 8, 1889. Xi Psi Phi was the second professional dental fraternity to be formed, following Delta Sigma Delta (1882 ...
(1889), and pre-dating
Alpha Omega (1907). Psi Omega has
27 active chapters.
History
Psi Omega was first conceived during the 1891-1892 term by two students at the
Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University System of Maryland. It was founded as an independent institution, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, in 1840 and was the birthplace of the Doctor of Dent ...
, William Sprigg Hamilton and J. George Schmetzer, both of the class of 1894, who determined to start a dental fraternity. These two men are considered the founders of the Fraternity. Hamilton wrote its first Ritual and Constitution, which was adopted on June 8, 1892. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was the first institution to offer a D.D.S. (
Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree, and is considered the world's first dental college.
[Psi Omega website, ''About Us'' section](_blank)
accessed 21 September 2014
Within a few years of its founding the Fraternity began a rapid period of growth, adding six chapters in 1896 alone to its first four. Likewise, 1897 brought five more chapters, continuing the pace that would see 25 chapters formed by the end of the Fraternity's first decade. Consolidations of schools led to mergers of chapters, and in at least one instance, a previous chapter, ''Lambda'' at Minnesota was replaced after it had gone dormant with a new chapter and new designation, ''Zeta Kappa'', at the same school (Minnesota). Expansion continued, resulting in a chapter count of 65 as of 1975.
The Fraternity has graduated 32,000 members since its founding, according to one chapter's website.
Psi Omega's international reach extended to three Canadian chapters, located in Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. All three ceased operations in the 1930s.
Psi Omega Fraternity became a charter member of the
Professional Fraternity Association
The Professional Fraternity Association (PFA) is an American association of national, collegiate, professional fraternities and sororities that was formed in . Since PFA groups are discipline-specific, members join while pursuing graduate (law, me ...
in 1978, but is no longer active in that association.
[Professional Fraternity Association website](_blank)
accessed 20 September 2014
Organization
Government is maintained by a triennial convention called the grand chapter, with recess administration held by a board of officers as the National Council. The Central Office is responsible for daily management of the Fraternity. Where formerly the national chief officer was called the grand master, in more recent times this role is held by a president. The fraternity is divided into five provinces, where each elects a Province Councilor. These five Province Councilors, with the President, make up the National Council.
Each school chapter elects an advisor known as a Deputy Councilor from among the active alumni.
Chapters
The Society has established 68 chapters since 1892. Of these, 27 are active, complemented by 30 alumni chapters.
Membership Requirements
School chapters consist of initiated fraternity members and can be either undergraduate students or graduate dental students.
Alumni chapters consist of initiated fraternity members who have attained either the DDS (Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degrees, and may include initiated honorary members.
[Psi Omega website](_blank)
accessed 21 September 2014
Scholarships, Awards and Aid
The Fraternity provides several types of assistance to active members. These include:
* Student loans of up to $3,000, with interest deferred until after graduation.
''The Frater'', Spring 2014 ed.
, p.11. Accessed 23 Sept 2014
* Chapter house loans
* Annual Awards given to both chapters and individual members
In addition, Psi Omega provides a variety of insurance programs popular among members and alumni through group purchasing discounts.
Publications
The Fraternity publishes a quarterly journal, ''The Frater''
recent issues available here
which was first published in 1900. Scholarly papers written by members add interest to ''The Frater'', helping continue alumni interest in the Fraternity.
The Fraternity maintains a ''website'' with information for chapters, alumni and institutions. Members and guests are welcome to visit the site or to contact the National Office through e-mail for further information.
Traditions
The badge of the Psi Omega Fraternity is an heraldic shield of gold with a slightly curved field of black enamel on which are displayed a caduceus, the letters , and three ivy-leaves. Colors are blue and white.
See also
* Delta Sigma Delta
Delta Sigma Delta (), founded on , is the oldest and largest of the international professional dental fraternities, pre-dating Xi Psi Phi (1889), Psi Omega (1892) and Alpha Omega (1907).
History
Its inception came when two dental students, L ...
* Xi Psi Phi
Xi Psi Phi International Dental Fraternity () is an international professional fraternity for dentistry. It was founded on February 8, 1889. Xi Psi Phi was the second professional dental fraternity to be formed, following Delta Sigma Delta (1882 ...
* Alpha Omega
* Omicron Kappa Upsilon
Omicron Kappa Upsilon () is a national honorary society serving the field of dentistry.
History
The Society originated with the 1914 graduating class of the dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. The idea for the fraternity came from ...
* Sigma Phi Alpha
Sigma Phi Alpha () is a national honorary society serving the field of dental hygiene.
History
The Society originated at the March 1958 Business Meeting of the Dental Hygiene Education section of the American Dental Education Association (now Ame ...
* List of dental schools in the United States
This list of dental schools in the U.S. includes major academic institutions in the U.S. that award advanced professional degrees of either D.D.S. or D.M.D. in the field of dentistry. It does not include schools of medicine, and it includes 66 s ...
* List of defunct dental schools in the United States
This list of defunct dental schools in the United States includes former dental schools that had previously awarded either Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. Either one of these degrees was required to prac ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Student organizations established in 1892
Professional dental fraternities and sororities in the United States
Former members of Professional Fraternity Association
1892 establishments in Maryland