Improvement of biomedical sciences resulted with recognition of dental medicine as an independent profession, and establishment of dental schools in Europe and America.
The founder of dental high education in Croatia was Dr. Eduard Radošević. He was born on February 22, 1884, in Mrkopalj, Gorski kotar, Croatia. After finishing University of Vienna, School of Medicine (1909), and specialization of dentistry in Berlin (1910), he returned to Croatia and opened a private dental office in Zagreb.
founded the Chair of Dentistry at the University of Zagreb, School of Medicine and Eduard Radošević was elected for its first head [1-3]. This date is considered to be the beginning of university education in dental medicine in Croatia .
Eduard Radošević was appointed as a director of the new founded University Dental Clinic in Zagreb in 1931 . He wrote numerous scientific and professionals papers which were published in Croatian and international journals. Eduard Radošević also published a monograph Physiology and pathology of the teeth in 1935, which represent his life work [1,3]. In 1924, he became an associate professor of the University of Zagreb, School of Medicine and stayed on this function until his death on February 6, 1939 . He was succeeded by Dr. Ivo Čupar (1901-1981), the father of maxillofacial surgery in Croatia, who directed this profession towards surgery of jaw and face. In 1943, Dr. Juraj Kallay (1901-1989) also joined to the Chair of Dentistry [3,4].
Development of clinical dental medicine in the Dental Clinic and adequate professional staff made possible the foundation of Department of Odontology at the University of Zagreb, School of Medicine [2,3]. The first generation of 47 dental medicine students started their five years study in 1948, and the first eight students graduated in 1954 [3,5,6].
The realization of independent School of Dental Medicine at the University of Zagreb was accomplished in 1962 [3,7] with the dean professor Živko Bolf (1894-1982) [3,7-9].
Later, dental studies were founded in other Croatian cities. In 1973, Study of Dental Medicine was opened at the University of Rijeka, School of Medicine [3,10], while University of Split, School of Medicine founded its Study of Dental Medicine in 2007.
1. Dumančić J, Kaić Z. Marking the 90th anniversary: Eduard Radošević, pioneer of university education in dentistry in Croatia (2012) Acta Stomatol Croat 46:176-183.
2. Škrinjarić I. Clinical dentistry and the study of dental medicine in Croatia (2012) Acta Stomatol Croat 46:195-201.
3. Kaić Z. Development of dental medicine in Croatia (2002) Acta Stomatol Croat 36:5-18.
5. Brkić H. University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine: 65 years of medicine study (2013) Acta Stomatol Croat 47:2.
6. Brkić H. The first graduate doctor of dental medicine at the University of Zagreb (2013) Acta Stomatol Croat 47:292-296.
7. Keros J. Establishment and development of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Zagreb (2012) Acta Stomatol Croat 46:166-171.
8. Lapter V. Živko Bolf (on the occasion of the 85th anniversary) (1978) Acta Stomatol Croat 12:99-100.
9. Lapter V. In memoriam. Prof. dr. Živko Bolf (1894-1982) (1982) Acta Stomatol Croat 16:147-148.
10. Hraste J. Dental medicine in Rijeka up until the founding of study of dentistry (2004) Acta Stomatol Croat 38:147-150.