Founders of the American Association of Women Dentists: their legacy lingers on.

Lucy Hobbs was the first women to graduate as a dentist from Ohio Dental College in 1866. By the turn of the century a sufficient number of women had graduated to create a need for the establishment of groups specifically for women in dentistry. The Women's Dental Association of the United States was incorporated in 1892 with 12 founding members, although the name was changed to American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD) in 1928. This paper traces the history of the AAWD and provides some biographical details about the 12 founders.