John R. Wilson (1917-1992) was born in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. After graduating from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1938 Wilson was a high school teacher and coach. He then enrolled in The Ohio State University College of Dentistry receiving his DDS in 1943. After graduation Dr. Wilson entered the United States Army Dental Corps and served until 1946. After leaving military service Dr. Wilson returned to The Ohio State University College of Dentistry where he held multiple leadership positions. As chair of the Department of Periodontology he established a postdoctoral program in this dental specialty in 1949. After retiring from the College of Dentistry in 1974 he continued to practice periodontics.
The John R. Wilson, DDS Papers (1.25 linear feet) contains material related to Wilson’s dental career in the U.S. Army and at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Papers (1 box) documents the life and career of Dr. Wilson, including his involvement in developing prosthetic eyes for injured veterans after World War II. The photograph depicting a dental operating room dates from 1892 and predates Dr. Wilson’s lifetime. The news clippings from the Starling-Ohio Women’s Club relate to his wife’s membership in the organization. There is an additional news clipping about women pursuing careers as dentists. This series is arranged in alphabetical order by file title.
Series II: Oversized (1 box) contains a plaque and medal John W. Wilson received from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.
The collection is open to the public and is available for viewing in the Medical Heritage Center. Materials do not circulate and must be used in the supervised reading room. Restrictions, including copyright, may exist and some materials may be too fragile to photocopy or digitize. The MHC charges for duplication services, which must be performed by staff.
[Identification of item], John R. Wilson, DDS Papers, SPEC.202325.WILSON, Medical Heritage Center, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University.