Eleazar Parmly (March 13, 1797 – December 13, 1874) was an American

dentist A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the mouth, oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofaci ...

in New York City during the early 1800s. He was the first Provost of The University of Maryland School of Dentistry, the first dental school established in the United States. He was the third of five brothers and his three brothers also pursued careers in dentistry.

Education and career

Parmly was born in 1797, in

Braintree, Vermont Braintree is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States created by Vermont charter on August 1, 1781. The population was 1,207 at the 2020 census. Braintree includes the places Braintree Center, Braintree Hill, East Braintree, West Brain ...

. At the age of 23, Parmly moved to London to work as a dentist. In 1823, he moved back to the United States to practice in New York City, where he opened a dental shop on Bond Street. He was responsible for the development of American

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 ...

from a primitive craft to a respected profession with various national societies and journals. He also furthered the development of dental colleges. In addition to being a well-trained practitioner and educator, Parmly was a gifted poet and set down his autobiography in verse. He worked with several other famous dentists of the time, such as

Solyman Brown Solyman Brown (November 17, 1790 – 1876) was an American dentist known for his role in creating the first dental school, the first US National Dental Society and the first US Dental Journal. He was also known as a poet of dentistry. Personal lif ...

, Norman William Kingsley, and

Chapin A. Harris Chapin Aaron Harris A.M., MD, D.D.S. (May 6, 1806 in Pompey, N.Y. – September 29, 1860 in Baltimore, Maryland) was an American physician and dentist and dentistry school founder. Education At the age of 17 Harris studied medicine in Madison, ...

Death

Parmly died of pneumonia on December 13, 1874, in New York City, at the age of 77.

References

American dentists 1797 births 1874 deaths People from Braintree, Vermont Deaths from pneumonia in New York City 19th-century dentists {{US-med-bio-stub