AOFUS.org

A Century of Impact.

A Future of Hope.

115+

Years of Service

TWO

World-Class Dental Schools Founded

$60M

Distributed Worldwide

THE FORMATION YEARS

1960 → 1979
1964

Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

1969

Established as the philanthropic arm of the Alpha Omega International Dental Society. 

1970's

Alpha Omega saw a need to launch a global initiative to retrain Russian dentists emigrating from the Soviet Union. 

1973

Trained Israeli maxillofacial specialists at premier U.S. medical centers to help rehabilitate wounded soldiers.

1978

The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine.

ADVOCACY & GLOBAL EXPANSION

1980 → 1999
1980's

Advanced access to dental care, professional education, and hands-on training.

1992
Caring For Children

Established an oral health screening and referral program for Ethiopian immigrant children in Israel.

1993

Created a fundraiser campaign to help dentists immigrating from the Former Soviet Union complete the retraining required to practice in Israel.

1995
Student Chi Club

Established to increase awareness of the Foundation and its grant opportunities among students.

1997

The D. Walter Cohen, DDS Middle East Center for Dental Education at Hebrew University.

EXPANDING GLOBAL REACH

2000 → 2009
2000

Distributed up to $150,000 annually to support dental education, healthcare, humanitarian programs, and leadership scholarships.

2002

Established to commemorate Alpha Omega’s 100 years of leadership, philanthropy, education, and service.

2006

Provided free dental care to individuals who suffered severe trauma and disabilities resulting from the Second Lebanon War.

2007

The first Tree of Peace sculpture was installed at Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

DEEPENING IMPACT

2010 → 2019
2010

In Response to the devastating 2010 earthquake. 

2011

The Alpha Omega Alliance of Charitable Organizations was formed.

 
2012
The Future is Now Campaign

Raised $3 million to establish the Rothstein/Williamowsky Postgraduate Dental Clinics at Tel Aviv University, training students in the care of patients with special needs

2013

Partnered with AKIM Israel, the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, and Henry Schein Cares to launch a program preparing young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for careers in dentistry

2014

Together with Henry Schein, Inc., launched the Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program.

2016

Facilitated educational visits for selected third- and fourth-year dental students to
explore the impact of Alpha Omega US
Dental Foundation support across Israel.

 
2017

Supported the efforts of two Alpha Omega Members in providing free dental care to Syrians injured in the ongoing civil war and to expand services to the communities of Northern Israel.

RESILIENCE & RESPONSE

2020 → Present
2021
Covid-19 Dental School Scholarships

Created a fund to provide critical, need-based tuition assistance to dental students  at the Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023

Funded a radiology room and panoramic X-ray machine designed specifically for patients with disabilities.

 
2023

Established dental care facilities following October 7.

2023

Initiated a matching gift campaign for a new dental chair in honor Alan J. Sherman.

 
2024

Led an international campaign to purchase two ambulances for Magen David Adom.

2024

Funded a state-of-the-art continuing education initiative at Rambam Healthcare Campus School of Gradnate Dentistry

 
2024

Raised over $450,000 to establish an annual scholarship to support future dental leaders.

2025

Partnered with the Alpha Omega Philadelphia Chapter to help rebuild the dental clinic at Kibbutz Be’eri after it was severely damaged on October 7th.

 
2025

Launched a program to provide therapy and mental health support to Israel's dental community.

Alpha Omega has shaped a legacy defined by action—building, supporting, and leading when it matters most.

Support the Next Chapter.

The Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation

Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1907, the Alpha Omega Fraternity was established in response to widespread antisemitism in educational institutions and throughout the broader dental community. From its earliest days, philanthropy was central to its mission.

That commitment became especially significant from the 1930s through the 1950s, amid World War II, the Holocaust and its aftermath, and the ongoing displacement of Jewish communities. 

Israel’s rapidly growing population created an urgent need for dental care, yet access remained severely limited. Meeting that need became a driving force that would transform Alpha Omega’s philanthropy.

Retraining Russian Dentists

Launched a global initiative to retrain Russian dentists emigrating from the Soviet Union through educational programs in Israel, helping them continue their careers and integrate into new communities.

Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation Program

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

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

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.

The Courses

Expanding
Alpha Omega's Philanthropic Reach

Distributed up to $150,000 annually in the early 2000’s to support dental education, healthcare, humanitarian programs, and leadership scholarships within the dental profession and global Jewish community. 

Beneficiaries included:

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
Numerous community organizations
in Israel and North America. 

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

Smiles Against Terror Program

Alpha Omega launched a program in Israel during the Second Lebanon War, to provide free dental care to individuals who have had more than 60% disability from the war.

Haiti Relief Program

Responded to the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, focusing on restoring access to emergency dental and oral healthcare for affected communities.

Alpha Omega supported the delivery of dental supplies, clinical care, and rebuilding efforts aimed at strengthening Haiti’s long-term oral health infrastructure.

D. Walter Cohen Ambassadorship to Israel

In Honor of D. Walter Cohen- Proud Alpha Omega Member

This annual award provides two third- or fourth-year dental students with the opportunity to travel to Israel and experience firsthand the impact of  the impact of the Alpha Omega Foundation’s support for
dental education and care.

Through visits to dental schools, private practices, public clinics, and other healthcare centers in multiple cities, recipients meet respected dental professionals, learn about programs supported by Alpha Omega, and see
how the foundation has strengthened
Israel’s dental community.

The program is designed to deepen students’ connections to Alpha Omega, dental education, and Israel while fostering lifelong professional relationships and promoting teamwork, innovation, education, and peace.

A call to action

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.

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.