Clinical Professor, Departments of Diagnosis and Endodontics
1996
Bio:
Dr. Goodman graduated from the University of Detroit School of Dentistry in 1946. He began is teaching career in 1948 as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Operative Dentistry and Endodontics. In 1950, he assumed the leadership roles of Chairman for the Diagnosis Department, Chairman of the Endodontics Department, and Director of Clinics. He was also promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in 1950.
Dr. Goodman was instrumental in the establishment of the Graduate Endodontics Program in 1956 and subsequently focused his efforts on chairing the Department of Endodontics until 1974. He received his specialty license in Endodontics in 1966 and was promoted to the rank of Clinical Professor in 1969. In 1974, he received an award for 25 years of service to the University and the award for “Best Pre-clinical Instructor in Junior Year” from the dental students.
He resigned from the faculty in 1974 but returned on May 20, 1975 to serve as Acting Dean during a difficult period for the School of Dentistry, a time in which he initiated significant changes to its academic, administrative, and faculty structure to bring the school in conformity with the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation requirements. After the appointment of a new Dean in 1976, he once again taught part-time at the School. When he retired in 1979, Dr. Goodman had completed 29 years of service to the University.
During his tenure as Acting Dean, Dr. Goodman was instrumental in revising the dental curriculum from a three-year to a four-year program; the dental hygiene program returned to a two-year curriculum; reduced class size to 80 students; and put increased emphasis on the role of teaching and learning. In the May-June 1975 Dental Center News, in a letter from Dr. Goodman to the faculty he wrote “The Dental Center will strive to develop a faculty dedicated to producing an educated and technically competent graduate; in return we expect the students at the Dental Center to concentrate on becoming the best students of which they are capable. Thus, we hope to graduate the best dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants in the country.”
Dr. Goodman was a member of the dental school’s executive board from 1950-1974 and the Admissions Committee from 1955-1970. For twelve years he was chairman of the continuing education courses in endodontics and was the principal lecturer in those courses. He presented a one-week continuing education course at the University of Puerto Rico in 1964 and presented approximately twenty-five clinics in local, state and national dental groups.
He became a consultant in endodontics at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Allen Park, Michigan in1965 and a lecturer at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1974. He served as the president of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a national honorary dental society, a fellow of the American Association of Endodontists, Diplomate, American Board of Endodontists and a member of the American Dental Association, the Michigan State Dental Association, and the Oakland County Dental Society.
Dr. Goodman was a pioneer in endodontics since the beginning of his career. In the announcement of his being named Professor Emeritus, Dr. Goodman said “When I first entered this field in the 1940s, there were only five of us in the world specializing in endodontics.”
The content of this biographical information was taken from the nomination letter by Bruce S. Graham, D.D.S., Dean of the School of Dentistry, the University of Detroit Dental Center News (Vol. II, No IV), the University of Detroit New Release (May 19, 1975) and University of Detroit Mercy Spiritus magazine article “Recognizing the Work of a Lifetime” (1996).
Dr. Goodman’s nomination was approved and conferred by Sr. Maureen A. Fay, O.P, President, University of Detroit Mercy on February 13, 1996.