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Supporting Israel’s Dental Community Through Trauma and Recovery

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Behind every patient identified, every emergency treated, and every student called to serve is a person carrying the emotional weight of war.

Why Your Support Matters

After October 7, Israel’s dental community became more than healthcare providers. They became frontline responders, military reservists, caregivers, and forensic specialists—bearing witness to unimaginable loss.

Many continue to carry the emotional scars of those experiences.

Renewing Minds, Restoring Hope provides the specialized trauma counseling and PTSD therapy they need to heal, supporting forensic dental teams, dental professionals, and students whose lives have been profoundly affected by the ongoing war in Israel.

An estimated 25–35% of dental students were called to reserve duty, interrupting their studies to serve their country.

Approximately 15–20% of the nearly 1,200 victims murdered on October 7 required months of advanced forensic imaging and anthropology because traditional identification methods were impossible.

Memorials throughout Israel serve as daily reminders that the trauma of October 7 continues to affect families, communities, and the dental professionals who cared for them.

Together, we can help Israel’s dental community adapt, recover,
move forward, and have hope.

Program Videos

Unsung Heroes:
The Hidden Psychological Toll of October 7

Interview with AO members
Dr. Laurie Gordon Shaw and Dr. Michael Spektor.

Program Update

March 2025

Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University: The first session was held via Zoom with 14 participants from the school.

April 2025

Hebrew University – Hadassah School of Dental Medicine: Individual therapy is now being funded through the university.

May 2025

Israel Police Forensic Unit: The core forensic team participated in a workshop focused on mental well-being, peer support, and coping strategies associated with their work, shared experiences, and explored ways to support one another. 

July 2026

Rambam Medical Center:
A session is scheduled for July 21, 2026.

This timeline is continually updated to reflect the latest program milestones, achievements, and impact.

Help heal those who heal others.

Every gift provides trauma-informed mental health care for Israel’s dental community.

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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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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.