Dolores Mercedes Franklin facts for kids

Dolores Mercedes Franklin is an American dentist, a person who helps make rules about health, and an author. She made history as the first African American woman to graduate from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1974.

Dr. Franklin achieved many "firsts" in her career. She became the highest-ranking dentist executive at a big company called Sterling Drug. She was the first woman and first Black person to hold such a high position at a Fortune 500 company in the U.S. She also became the first woman and first Black person to be a dean at the New York University College of Dentistry, which is the largest dental school in the country. This made her the first woman and first Black person from Harvard to become a dental school dean in the United States. Today, Dr. Franklin also works as a consultant and a clinical professor.

Early Life and Education

Dr. Franklin finished her studies at Barnard College in 1970. She then earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in 1974. This was a very important moment because she was the first African American woman, and first woman of color, to get a Harvard DMD degree. She was also one of the first five women to graduate from the school in over 100 years! In the same year, she also earned another degree, an M.P.H., from Columbia University.

Career Highlights

Dr. Franklin started her career as a dental director at the New Jersey Dental Group. She also worked as a consultant for the Colgate-Palmolive Company. In 1975, when she was 28 years old, she joined the New York University College of Dentistry. This is the largest dental school in the U.S. There, she became the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Later, she also handled admissions. She was the first woman and the first Black dean at NYU's dental school. This also meant she was the first woman and first Black person from Harvard to hold a dean's position at any dental school in the United States.

Leadership in Business

In 1979, Dr. Franklin made history again. She became the first woman and first Black person to hold the highest-ranking dentist executive job at a Fortune 500 company. This happened at Sterling Drug, Inc., a global medicine company. She was put in charge of Professional Services and Research at Cook-Waite Laboratories. She also wrote and completely updated a textbook called Manual of Local Anesthesia in Dentistry. This book had not been updated in 30 years and was used in many dental schools across the U.S.

Public Health and Advocacy

Dr. Franklin also led the National Dental Program at Job Corps. This program operated in 43 states. She was a leader in oral health policy at the Commission of Public Health in Washington, D.C. There, she started new partnerships with important health institutions. She worked with both private and non-profit groups. She also worked with the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She served on many boards and advised on health projects around the country and the world.

Later, Dr. Franklin was appointed as an assistant health commissioner in New York City. This was the highest-ranking dentist position in the city. She worked closely with the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, which is the largest urban healthcare system in the nation. At the same time, she was also a clinical professor at New York University. She continues to be an important voice for oral health, explaining that it is a key part of our overall health.

Current Work

Dr. Franklin has served on the board of the Harvard Alumni Association. She was also the president of the Harvard Dental Alumni Association. Today, she is the president of Franklin-DeLoach Group, Inc., which is a special research and consulting company. She is also a storyteller and author. She is currently writing a book about her family's history, tracing it back to the first colonies in the 1600s, through the domestic slave trade, and their journey from Louisiana to the 20th century.

Honors and Legacy

Dr. Franklin has received many awards for her amazing work. She received the Harvard University Alumni Achievement Award for Excellence in Dental Medicine from the Harvard Alumni Association and the Harvard Black Alumni Society. She also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Franklin is a strong supporter of fairness and education. She is the first Black woman in Harvard's history to have a special scholarship for dental education named in her honor. This scholarship is called the Freeman, Grant and Franklin Scholarship. It honors Dr. Franklin and the first two Black men who were pioneers in dentistry in the United States. This scholarship provides important support for students from groups that have not been fully represented in dentistry.

The scholarship is named after three important Harvard alumni:

• Robert Tanner Freeman: In 1869, he became the first Black person in U.S. history to graduate from a dental school. He was part of Harvard's very first dental class.
• George Franklin Grant: He graduated in 1870 and became the first Black faculty member at Harvard University and at the dental school in 1884.
• Dolores Mercedes Franklin: She became the first Black woman to graduate from HSDM in 1974. This was more than 100 years after the school was founded and 100 years after the first Black men were admitted.

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) was founded in 1867 and was the first dental school connected to a university in the United States.