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A Century of Impact.

A Future of Hope.

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115+

Years of Service

TWO

World-Class Dental Schools Founded

$60M

Distributed Worldwide

THE FORMATION YEARS

1960 → 1979
1964
Israel's First Dental School founded by Alpha Omega

Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine.

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1969
The Alpha Omega US Dental Foundation was Established

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

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1970's
Russian Dentist Retraining Initiative

Launched a global initiative to retrain Russian dentists emigrating from the Soviet Union. 

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1973
Maxillofacial Prosthetic Rehabilitation Program

Brought Israeli maxillofacial specialists to premier U.S. medical centers to advance reconstructive care.

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1978
Israel's Second Dental School

The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine.

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ADVOCACY & GLOBAL EXPANSION

1980 → 1999
1980's
Expanding Global Care and Training

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

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1992
Caring For Children

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

1993
Adopt-A-Soviet-Dentist Program

Mobilized support to help immigrant dentists build new lives in Israel.

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1995
Student Chi Club

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

1997
Advancing Collaboration Across the Middle East

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

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EXPANDING GLOBAL REACH

2000 → 2009
2000
Expanding Alpha Omega's Philanthropic Reach

Provided annual grants to organizations in Israel and North America.

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2002
The Alpha Omega Centennial Fund

Commemorated Alpha Omega’s 100 years of leadership, philanthropy, education, and service.

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2006
Smiles Against Terror Program

Provided free dental care to individuals who sustained severe injuries and disabilities during the Second Lebanon War.

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2007
Promoting Peace Through Education

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

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DEEPENING IMPACT

2010 → 2019
2010
Haiti Relief Program

Provided access to emergency dental care and oral health services.

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2011
The International Alliance of Alpha Omega Charitable Organizations

Formed the Alliance uniting global philanthropic efforts under one international charitable organization.

 
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2012
The Future is Now Campaign

Raised millions to create advanced postgraduate dental clinics at Tel Aviv University.

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2013
Dental Career Training for Young Adults with Disabilities

Helped create pathways to meaningful careers in dentistry for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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2014
The Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program

Restored oral health and dignity for Holocaust survivors.

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2016
D. Walter Cohen Alpha Omega Ambassadorship to Israel

Launched an educational program sending selected dental students to Israel.

 
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2017
Peace Begins with a Smile

Supported free dental care for Syrian civil war victims while expanding services to Northern Israel.

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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
Supporting Inclusive Dental Care

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

 
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2023
Emergency Dental Relief Clinics

Established emergnecy dental clinics with NATAN following October 7. 

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2023
Dental Volunteers for Israel

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

 
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2024
Magen David Adom Emergency Vehicles

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

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2024
Expanding Education in Northern Israel

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

 
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2024
The Dr. Allen Finkelstein Scholarship Endowment

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

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2025
Rebuilding Kibbutz Be'eri

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.

 
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Present
Renewing Minds Restoring Hope

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

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

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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.

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.

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.

Expanding Global Care and Training

As the Foundation’s international reach grew, it invested in programs that expanded access to care, strengthened dental education, and improved specialized treatment throughout the region.

These initiatives included launching the Dental Peace Corps in Israel, funding a mobile dental clinic serving underserved communities in Morocco, establishing an international student internship program, and supporting 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

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

The D. Walter Cohen Middle East Center of Dental Education was established at the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Dental Medicine on June 1, 1997, with a bold vision: to bring dentists from across the Middle East to Jerusalem for advanced education and training.

The Center was founded on the belief that dentistry could serve as a bridge for peace—fostering understanding, collaboration, and professional relationships across political and cultural divides. By equipping dentists with advanced clinical and educational skills, the program strengthened oral health care in their home countries while promoting collaborative research and lasting partnerships throughout the region.

Expanding Alpha Omega's Philanthropic Reach

The Alpha Omega Foundation broadened its international impact by supporting programs that advanced dental education, humanitarian care, and professional collaboration across the region.

Funding supported a broad network of institutions and community partners, 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, and community organizations throughout 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

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.

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.

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.

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

D. Walter Cohen Ambassadorship to Israel

Established to honor the legacy of Dr. D. Walter Cohen, this educational program provided selected third- and fourth-year dental students with a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the impact of Alpha Omega’s philanthropic work throughout Israel.

Participants visited the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, the Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University, community clinics, hospitals, and private dental practices. The experience fostered leadership, professional growth, and a deeper understanding of Israel’s dental education system while strengthening the lifelong connection between future dental leaders and the global Alpha Omega family.

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.