PEOPLE

P hoto by Glenn Triest

BRACED

Dr. Mark
Luria and
Dr. Martin
Naimark.

for LIFE

Detroit's Jewish dentists have an organization that serves as a
friendship and support network throughout their careers.

JUDY MARX

Special to The Jewish News

0

nce you become
an Alpha Ome-
gan, it's for life,"
says AO fraterni-
ty member Martin Naimark.
And the retired Detroit den-
tist should know. He joined
the Alpha Omega Dental
Fraternity as a University of
Michigan School of Dentistry
freshman — 52 years ago —
when fraternities were in
their heyday on college cam-
puses and only chemistry ma-
jors knew about flouride.
Dr. Naimark has a good
perspective on how this uni-
que Jewish professional
fraternity has changed since
he was learning how to
fashion fillings in the late
1930s.
"Family," says AO student
member Robert Nakisher,
"that's what it's all about for

56

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1990

me. I feel strongly about be-
ing part of the Jewish com-
munity. Alpha Omega means
that we're all going to help
each other get through."
Today there are fewer den-
tal students, fewer student
AO members than in past
times. Fears that the dental
profession was over-saturated
led to declining enrollments,
which, some say, is now begin-
ning to turn around.
Mr. Nakisher, starting his
third year in dental school at
U-M, is president of AO's Chi
student chapter. Because the
U-M group and its Universi-
ty of Detroit counterpart,
Alpha Nu, are both small, the
two student chapters do a lot
of joint programming.
Although Mr. Nakisher
leads a very different group
than the undergraduate
chapters of previous decades,
he expresses the same sen-
timents which have bound
Jewish dentists to Alpha

Omega since the fraternity
was founded in Philadlephia
in 1907.
In the earliest years, Alpha
Omega sought to assure the
Jewish student both fair ad-
missions consideration and
equal academic treatment.
By the 1930s, the field of den-
tistry was a popular choice
among Jewish young men
and many dental schools were
accepting large numbers of
Jewish students into their
programs. Dr. Naimark
recalls between 15 and 20 per
year at U-M. Thus, the Ann
Arbor group, like many
others, purchased a house
where the students lived, ate
two meals a day, employed a
cook and a janitor.
Thirty years later, accor-
ding to Dr. John Marx, a
Madison Heights orthodon-
tist, Alpha Omega remains
appealing because of the
camaraderie and the desire to
assist the students.

But by the 1960s, AO life in
Ann Arbor had undergone
some changes. With new
Jewish students numbering
eight to 10 each year and
many of the members mar-
ried, AO could no longer sup-
port a fraternity house.
Nevertheless, still dedicated
to assisting students
academically, AO purchased
space for a lab in Ann Arbor.
The lab had previously oc-
cupied the basement of the
fraternity house.
Dr. Mark Luria graduated
from U-M Dental School in
1978. Like his brother before
him, Dr. Luria was president
of Chi chapter. "As fresh-
men, AO gave us a new
family," he recalls. As you pro-
gressed through school, you,
too, wanted to help the
freshmen coming in."
Although the sentiments
were familiar, the look of AO
was changing yet again. A
new dental school and its

well-equipped laboratory
eliminated the need for the
old AO lab. And all fraternal
organizations had felt the ef-
fects of national anti-
discrimination policies. Chi
was then some 60 students
strong. They were nearly all
Jewish, but not entirely so.
And approximately 15 per-
cent were women.
More and more women are
assuming active leadership
roles in the alumni organiza-
tions. Dr. Susan Carron (Chi
'77) was president of the
Detroit Alumni Chapter
three years ago.
Dr.
Allan
Warnick
graduated in 1964 from U-D
Dental School, where he was
an Alpha Nu leader. Today,
his daughter Emily is
treasurer of Alpha Nu and,
like her father, shows indica-
tions of continuing an active
role in AO beyond graduation.
Many sons have traditionally
followed their fathers into