New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07
WOMEN WHO PULL TEETH.
DENTISTRY A PROFESSION OPEN TO THE
GENTLER SEX.
DOZEN OFFICES IN THIS CITY RUN BY WOMEN.
AND NO BRANCH OF THE WORK
NEGLECTED BY THEM.

NEGLECTED BY THEM.
Dentistry IL a profession that seems bound TO gro"
in favor with women. At present however. out OF
the 20 900 dentists In the United States not more than
fifty are women, and in the city Of New-fork there
are less than a dozen female dentists each or whom,
however IL established In business for herself' ana
has in her employ. operators or mechanical work.
ers from one to ten men.
The pioneer woman dentist Of this country Is Mrs
Philippine DiefYenbach who has conducted an office
az No 1852 West Twenty-third-s since 1860 Her nus
band was one OF the Deffenbach brothers, VINO TOT
many years were dentists on Cana,-st. She amused
herself by assisting him in his laboratory in the MAX
ing OF plates. Since taking the business herself she
has built up a reputation as one or the most expert
mechanical dentists In the profession.
Mrs Dierenbach practises under State license. for
at the time she began work her own account there
was no college In America that would admit women
Tribune reporter found her in her laboratory. a;
work on a set Of artificial teeth and all the time she
talking she selecting the teeth and arrang-
ing them on the mould She is peasan,-faced
woman upward OF fifty years old when asked:
do you extract teeth YOURSELF" she answered:
Sometimes do though that Is the most dstasteful
part OF the business. and / much prefer to Jet my
operator do that for me. I always have a man as
sistant. and he does mos. OF the pulling and filing"
Have you made a special study OF any one part
OF dentistry"
YES, I have made speciality OF taking i'm
pressions OF the mouth for artificial teeth"
ART AND PHILANTHROPY COMBINED.
do you find pleasure in this occupation?"
We'll. not pleasure exactly, but there Is great
satisfaction In making face look better by a
properly fitted set OF teeth You may think II
queer employment for a woman, but have grown
pretty well used to it in thirty years
Or. Mary l.. Modeman carries on successful
dental business at No. 225 Sixth-ave. and has had
her shinge OUT for over twenty years. She also
practses under the State law. She gained her
dental training an assistant TO her brother,
Dr. George II. Modeman, who is now in business
with her
DR.. Modeman keeps two operators and does lttle
active work save the taking OF impressions for
artificial teeth though every bit OF work in the
mechanical laboratory Is looked after by her. She
makes speciality OF false plates. She has found
her work both pleasant aHd lucrative, but she
believes IT too faiguing and thinks 1t involves too
much nervous excitement for the average woman.
Dr. j. Maud Rankin holds unique position as
manager OF the World Dental Parors' at NO 25
Sixth-ave She is Brooklyn woman, ana started
out as an office girl for New-fork dentist' III
1893 she was graduated from the Philadeiphia
Dental College There was but one other woman
student in the school at that time Miss Neihe
Carrie who is now practising in pennsylvania
Although Miss Rankin has ten men In her employ
nc onerators and plate workers, she deives rear
essly into every branch OF the work herself anu
finds no part Of it obnoxious
Dr Carrie Wolfsbr,ick Of No. 45i Lexngton-3ve..
IS the only woman licensee of the New-iork state
Dental Society which for many years convened at
Albany but Is now abolished. She began her dem
tai work with the Cotton Company, but has long
been established in business for herself. She mas
made a record for extracting teeth ana THINKS
nothing Of pulling thirty in minute and half.
She was awarded medal for artificial work and
filings on exhibition at the Woman's Building Of
the Columbian Exposition In Chicago.
PREFERS MEN AS PATIENTS.
When DR.. Wofsbruck asked which she pre-
ferred as patients women. she replied quick
y, Men every time. They are not so fussy. and
don't ask fifty times during the operation how
much II is going to cost and then they keep their
appointments better And few men insist on talk
ing when their mouths are filled with impression
plaster"
Dr. Julia NJ. Carman. who. by-the-way. Is far more
likely to be taken for vivacious schoolgirl than
a business woman. was graduated with honor from
the Pennsylvania Dental College in 1891. and is
her fathers assistant I'm his dental office at
No Wall-st Miss Carman does all kinds of den
The New-York Dental School, branch institution
Of the University Of New York holds It's doGrs
girl was the only woman in entering class of
nifty men last year; but this winter there are FIVE
thusiastic lot of students would be hard to find.
They clap their hands and eNclam How lovely!
claring that the skilful arrangement of a set OF
false uppers' Is fascinating. Miss Clman
asked: What sort OF treatment do you girls re-
ceve from the students?' She answered:
The very best in the world. They help us with
our studies, and In every way snow that they are
glad to have US with them. OF course. had tug
of-war when first started in last year, but whcl
they saw l had come TO stay. they gave in and
have been very considerable of our feelings ever
since"
Whatever put II into your heads TO study DEN
tistry?'
Il grew TO like It through being about my father,
who was dentist" said Miss Clman
Il always liked to play at filling my dolls teeth"
answered Miss Rosensen.
II began to study il to know how II keep
my own teeth good" replied Miss Jantum laugh
ing. and showing two rows Of the pfetties. teeth
in the room
WOMEN IN DENTAL SCHOOLS