DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Texas Dental Association. Now, you might not think a bunch of dentists would have much of a story to tell — but friend, you would be wrong. Pull up a chair.
This one's got drama, a collapse, a comeback, and a publication record that puts most newspapers to shame. Let's go back to 1869. A group of dentists gathered in Houston, drafted a constitution, drafted some by-laws, and decided they were going to make something official.
They elected Dr. Menard Michau of Houston as their first president, and on May 17, 1871, the State of Texas handed them an official charter. Eighteen dentists.
Twenty-two honorary members. That was the whole operation. Small, sure — but it had a charter, and that charter would matter more than anyone in that room could've guessed.
Then came the 1870s. The marker doesn't spell out exactly what went wrong, and maybe that's for the best — but let's just say the association experienced difficulties. By 1880, Texas dentists looked around and decided something had to change.
So they did what Texans do: they started over. A new society, called the Texas State Dental Association, held its first meeting in Houston on November 25, 1880, and elected Dr. William S.
Carruthers of Galveston as president. Two organizations. Same profession.
Same state. And here's where it gets interesting — in August of 1881, members of both groups met in Austin and voted to merge. And rather than start fresh, they chose to operate under that original 1871 charter.
The old document got a second life. From 1880 forward, the association has held annual meetings every single year without a break. But here's the detail that ought to stop you cold.
The Texas Dental Journal has been in continuous publication since 1883 — making it the oldest continuously published dental periodical in the entire western hemisphere. Not the state. Not the country.
The western hemisphere. Since 1971, the association has been headquartered right here in Austin, and over the years it has been instrumental in drafting and pushing through legislation that regulates the practice of dentistry across Texas. Started with eighteen dentists and a handshake constitution in Houston.
Still running, still publishing, still right here in the capital. Some institutions just refuse to quit.
What the marker says
This professional association traces its history to 1869, when a group of dentists met in Houston and drafted a constitution and by-laws. Dr. Menard Michau of Houston was elected first president of the association, which was officially chartered by the State of Texas on May 17, 1871. Initial membership consisted of 18 dentists and 22 honorary members. The association experienced difficulties during the 1870s, and by 1880 Texas dentists saw the need for a reorganization. A new society, the Texas State Dental Association, was formed and held its first meeting in Houston on November 25, 1880. The members elected Dr. William S. Carruthers of Galveston as president. At a meeting in Austin in August 1881 members of the original and new organizations voted to merge and operate under the original group's 1871 charter. The association has held annual meetings for its members since 1880. The "Texas Dental Journal," dating to 1883, is the oldest continuously published dental periodical in the western hemisphere. Headquartered in Austin since 1971, the association has been instrumental in drafting and effecting legislation regulating the practice of dentistry in Texas. (1997)