Amalia Assur facts for kids

Amalia Assur (born June 8, 1803 – died 1889) was a very important person in Sweden. She was the first woman to become a dentist in that country!

Who Was Amalia Assur?

Amalia Assur was born in a city called Stockholm in Sweden. Her father, Joel Assur, was also a dentist. He was even the dentist for the Royal Family! People say he was one of the first well-trained dentists in Sweden. Amalia's mother was Esther Moses Heilbuth. Amalia also had a brother named James, who became a dentist too.

Early Life and Learning

Amalia never got married. In her time, an unmarried woman was often called a mamsell. She learned all about dentistry from her father. She started helping him in his dental practice when she was young. This was how she got her training.

Becoming a Dentist

At first, Amalia worked as her father's helper. This was not an official job for women back then. Because of this, she was reported to the authorities. They said she was working as a dentist without official permission.

In 1852, something special happened. Amalia was given a special permit to work as a dentist all by herself. This permission came from a group called the Kongl. Sundhetskollegiet. It was a very important health board.

A Special Permission

This permit was only for Amalia. It was a personal exception for her. At that time, women were not allowed to be dentists. So, Amalia was a special case. She was not a pioneer who opened the door for many other women right away. The job was still closed to other women. She worked as a dentist in Stockholm.

Dentistry Opens to Women

Things changed later on. In 1861, the job of dentistry was finally opened to women in Sweden. After this, the first woman to get official permission to practice was Rosalie Fougelberg. Amalia Assur's story shows how one person can make a big difference, even when rules are against them.