Harvard dental school unveils Tree of Peace statue

Dental industry and education leaders were in attendance for the installation of a Tree of Peace statue at Harvard School of Dental Medicine on June 16.

The sculpture created by noted UNESCO Artist of Peace Hedva Ser symbolizes the power of dentistry to bridge cultural and political divides, using the oral health profession as a vehicle for building relationships and understanding throughout the world.

The Tree of Peace at Harvard is the fifth to have been installed globally, with the others at the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine; A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health; Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry; and, most recently, Al-Quds University.

The Tree of Peace sculpture dedication at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. PRNewsFoto/Henry Schein. Photo Courtesy of Steve Gilbert.

The statue honors two long-time members of the Harvard dental school, Walter C. Guralnick, DMD, professor emeritus of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and Bruce Donoff, DMD, MD, dean of the dental school, for their service and commitment to using dentistry to promote peace and understanding.

Dr. Guralnick has served on the faculty since 1950. Dr. Guralnick established an oral surgeon residency exchange program between Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard's primary teaching hospital, and numerous hospitals in the U.K. This program provided residents culturally diverse educational and clinical experiences, extending the scope of their learning to include international perspectives and insights.

Dr. Donoff has served as dean since 1991, and has worked on numerous oral education and oral health initiatives and programs, including the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders, the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Geis Awards. These initiatives emphasize the value of leadership and cooperation in the dental community and highlight dentistry's capacity to promote tolerance and compassion.

The Tree of Peace program was developed by Allen Finkelstein, DDS, CEO of Bedford HealthCare Solutions, and is supported by the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Henry Schein Cares, and the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders, which was founded by 41 dental schools in 2011 to promote peace and well-being through oral health by building bridges among dental and health professionals around the world, especially in areas of conflict. The Tree of Peace at Harvard was also supported by the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity.