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Engaging, Inspiring, and Publicly Supporting Oral Health

Through Dental Research, Education, Access, & lmpactful Initiatives Worldwide!

Oral Healthcare Initiatives

The Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation is dedicated to supporting dental schools and dental centers in Israel, as well as addressing similar needs globally through various project categories.

HEALTH

Providing oral health services to individuals facing barriers to treatment due to economic, physical, or political circumstances who would otherwise be unable to receive necessary care.

EDUCATION & RESEARCH

Supporting dental educational programs to enable students and faculty to contribute to the advancement of understanding of oral diseases and development of cures.

CARE

Caring for the elderly, handicapped and economically vulnerable Holocaust survivors by providing in-kind services within private practices, affiliated hospitals or dental institutions.

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About

In 1953, a group of Alpha Omega Fraternity leaders embarked on a mission to establish a top-tier dental school in Israel. Collaborating with the Hadassah Hebrew University, Alpha Omega integrated a school of dentistry into the University’s structure in Jerusalem.

The objective was to replace retiring immigrant dentists, offering modern services to the growing population resulting from an influx of refugees. In 1964, this vision materialized, and Alpha Omega proudly became the founder of the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Dental Medicine in Israel.

Seeking to broaden their impact, Alpha Omega members founded the Alpha Omega Foundation US in 1969, serving as the US charitable arm of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity. The Foundation’s commitment to Dental Medicine’s advancement continued with its instrumental role in the establishment of the Tel Aviv University School of Dental Medicine in 1970.

In 2012, when the Tel Aviv University School of Dental Medicine teetered on the brink of closure, the Foundation, along with the American Friends of Tel Aviv University, Dean Adam Stabholz of the Hadassah/Hebrew University Dental School, Israeli government and other notable dental professionals in Israel embarked on a $3 million fundraising campaign to renovate the school’s facilities, establish specialized care for individuals with unique needs, and the cultivation of new revenue streams from both higher tuitions paid by students training to be specialists in the fields of endodontics, prosthodontics, and periodontics and the care they provide.

Today, the Alpha Omega Foundation continues to support both of these dental schools and additional dental healthcare centers in Israel and around the world. View our impact. 

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Mission

The Foundation is committed to advancing dental research, supporting education, creating access to dental care for underserved populations, and improving care throughout the world.

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Latest News

RMRH

Advancing Psychological Treatment Across Israel’s Dental Community

May 2026

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A Lifetime of Achievement - A Lasting Scholarship

April 2026

Israel's_Escape_from_Egypt

When the Story Feels Personal

March 2026

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A call to action

Renewing Minds Restoring Hope

Supporting The Israeli Dental Community Through Ongoing Trauma And War

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Dental Career Training for Young Adults with Disabilities

In partnership with AKIM Israel, the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Henry Schein Cares,  and Alpha Omega established a pioneering supported employment program that prepares young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for careers in dentistry. Through two years of hands-on training, participants gain practical skills for auxiliary dental roles, leading to meaningful employment while promoting inclusion, independence, and opportunity

The Future is Now Campaign

Alpha Omega helped launch The Future Is Now Campaign to establish the Rothstein-Williamowsky Postgraduate Dental Clinics at Tel Aviv University.

The campaign funded state-of-the-art operating suites and renovated treatment rooms, providing advanced training for future Israeli dental professionals and high-quality care for patients throughout the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

D. Walter Cohen Ambassadorship to Israel

Established in honor of Dr. D. Walter Cohen, this annual program provided two third- or fourth-year dental students with an immersive educational visit to Israel. Through visits to dental schools, clinics, and healthcare centers, recipients experience the Foundation’s impact firsthand while building professional relationships and strengthening their connection to Alpha Omega, dental education, and Israel.

The Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation

Recognizing the need for a new generation of dental professionals in Israel, Alpha Omega members set out in the 1950s to help establish the country’s first dental school. Their vision became a reality in 1966 with the opening of the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

To support this effort and future charitable initiatives, the Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation was established in 1969 as the organization’s philanthropic arm. The Foundation later led a successful campaign to help create Israel’s second dental school, the Maurice and Gabriella Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University.

Today, the Foundation continues to support the dental schools and dental centers in Israel, student scholarships, humanitarian programs, and other charitable initiatives in the United States, Israel, and around the world, carrying forward Alpha Omega’s commitment to service and philanthropy.

Smiles Against Terror Program

During the Second Lebanon War, Alpha Omega launched the Smiles Against Terror Program to provide free dental care to individuals who suffered severe injuries and disabilities as a result of the conflict.

The program supported individuals with disabilities exceeding 60%, helping restore oral health, function, and quality of life during their recovery.

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Supporting Inclusive Dental Care

Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation funded a Radiology Room for a new Panoramic X-ray machine designed for people with disabilities.

The equipment and room are part of the Robert I. Schattner Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities at the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

This state-of-the-art facility provides accessible, optimal care for children and adults with disabilities while training dental professionals to care for the most vulnerable population

A call to action

Tree of Peace

The first Tree of Peace sculpture was placed in 2007 at Hebrew University’s School of Dental Medicine, marking the close collaboration between Hebrew University and Al-Quds University and the shared vision of using the oral health profession as a vehicle for building relationships and understanding throughout the region and the world.

In 2011, the Tree of Peace arrived in the United States, becoming the second installation worldwide, at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health — a testament to the school’s commitment to global peace and a symbol of the collaboration between medicine, education, and the pursuit of peaceful coexistence worldwide.

Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia became the third dental school to install the sculpture, a steadfast reminder of the ongoing effort to build a lasting legacy of global peace through dentistry.

The fourth installation, on the campus of Al-Quds University, continued that legacy: it opened avenues for dental professionals, educators, and students to transcend political and religious barriers, using oral health as a catalyst to improve quality of life for people of diverse nationalities.

The fifth installation, at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, was dedicated to Dr. Walter Guralnick, professor emeritus of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. R. Bruce Donoff, former dean of the school. It commemorates the active engagement of Harvard’s students and faculty in global initiatives and reflects the belief that education, cultural exchange, and mutual respect can build a more inclusive, compassionate, and harmonious world.

Haiti Relief Program

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Alpha Omega mobilized support to help restore access to critical dental and oral healthcare services for affected communities.

The initiative provided dental supplies, clinical care, and support for rebuilding efforts, helping strengthen Haiti’s oral health infrastructure and expand access to care for the future.

Expanding
Alpha Omega's Philanthropic Reach

In the early 2000s, Alpha Omega distributed up to $150,000 annually to support dental education, healthcare, humanitarian initiatives, and leadership development throughout the dental profession and global Jewish community.

Funding benefited a wide range of organizations, including:

      • Israeli dental schools
      • Rambam Medical Center
      • Dental Volunteers Israel
      • Beit Issie Shapiro
      • Save a Child’s Heart
      • Jewish Homes in Los Angeles and Washington, DC
      • Community organizations across Israel and North America


Through these investments, Alpha Omega strengthened educational opportunities, expanded access to care, and improved the lives of countless individuals and families.

The Alpha Omega Centennial Fund

The Alpha Omega Centennial Fund was established in 2002, five years ahead of the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2007.

The goal was to build the Foundation’s corpus, advancing its commitment to leadership, philanthropy, education, and service while supporting initiatives that strengthen the future of the dental profession and the global Jewish community

A call to action

Advancing Collaboration Across the Middle East

In 1997, Alpha Omega endowed the The D. Walter Cohen, DDS Middle East Center for Dental Education at Hebrew University to promote peace through dental education, collaborative research, and cross-cultural partnership.

The Adopt-A-Soviet-Dentist Program

Alpha Omega launched an urgent and successful fundraising campaign to retrain Soviet immigrant dentists in Israel at the Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University – Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

Nearly $500,000 was raised, enabling 350 dentists from the former Soviet Union to complete the retraining required to practice in Israel. This paved the way for their integration into their new homeland of Israel.

Expanding Global Care And Trainig

  • Launched a dental peace corps in Israel
  • Funded a mobile clinic in Morocco
  • Created a student internship program
  • Supported the Rambam Maxillofacial Clinic in Haifa

Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation Program

Established following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Alpha Omega members began training Israeli maxillofacial teams and dentists at Sloan Kettering Hospital and MD Anderson Clinic in the United States to help rehabilitate wounded Israeli soldiers.

Retraining Russian Dentists

As thousands of Jewish families left the Soviet Union in search of greater freedom and opportunity, many dental professionals faced significant barriers to practicing in their new countries.

Alpha Omega responded by creating educational and retraining programs in Israel that helped immigrant dentists update their skills, meet licensing requirements, and successfully continue their careers while integrating into new communities.