History of Eastman Institute

Eastman Institute building is resembled in functionalistic and Art Deco style with a beautiful fountain and sculpture, the globe and the figure of a child in the foreground.

This image has become the symbol of Eastman Institute, known throughout the world. The building is in light marbleplaster was designed by the architect Waldemar Johansson.

The fountain and sculpture by the entrance of Eastman Institute.
The globe is in light Ekeberg's marble and the figure of the child cast in bronze. Artist and sculptor is Clarance Blum (1936).

A beautiful statue in cast bronze by Olof Ahlberg,"Maternal bliss".
The statue was made to symbolize the work of the Institute.

George Eastman

mostly known as the inventor of the roll film and the Kodak camera, and as the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company. His box camera Kodak No. 1 was marketed with the motto:
You push the button, we do the rest. Thanks to him, photography became a hobby available to anyone.

George Eastman's interest for dental care was first shown in 1909 when he decided to make a contribution to a dentist's association that planned dental care for children with limited means in his hometown Rochester, northwest of New York City, USA.

It was Eastman's dream that there would be a complete dental care program with centralized care at a few clinics.
This would facilitate instruction and supervision dental care for children of with little means, correction of dental irregularities /orthodontics, a dental nursing program and
postgraduate education for dentists specializing in dentistry for children.

The dream came true in 1917 when the Eastman Dental Dispensary opened in Rochester. Shortly thereafter, similar centers were opened in London, Rome, Brussels, Paris and finally
1936 in Stockholm, all thanks to George Eastman's donations.

1930

Eastman offered to donate a sum of money to the city of Stockholm that would amount to approximately 100 million Swedish crowns today. The money was set out to construct a building and to purchase equipment for children's dental care. In other respects, the work activity was to be as similar as possible to the dental center in Rochester. The construction of the building began in 1932, the same year George Eastman passed away. On April the 25th in 1936 the Eastman Institute was inaugurated by Prince Gustav Adolf.

1936

There were about 30 000 children in Stockholm under the age of 13 years. Eastman Institute had the means to treat 12-20 000 children per year. Each child could be charged a fee as long as it "did not jeopardize the dental care of the less fortunate children".

Over the years, Eastman Institute developed into a central clinic for referrals of cases specialized dental care for children within the special fields of orthodontics, pedodontics and oral surgery. Later, other fields were established at the institute namely
oral radiology, juvenile prosthodontics prosthetics and clinical oral physiology.

1975 - 1976

Eastman Institution was extensively renovated. Although the style was unaltered, artists and architects modernized the building for, what was considered in the 70's a modern specialist dental
care center.

From the beginning of the 1980-talet

all children and the adolescents in Stockholm county were to be offered free-of-charge dental care, even though free-of-charge dental care for children and the youth had been offered long before that.

Today, the Eastman Institute treat around 10 000 children and 1000 adults annually and has an Annual turnover of 150 million Swedish crowns. Eastman Institute also offers postgraduate
Courses for general dentists and dental nurses. Over the years, many dentists have had their specialist training in pedodontics and orthodontics at Eastman Institute.
Several dissertations and scientific papers are the product of research conducted at Eastman Institute.

Over the years

Many children have been treated at Eastman Institute. Many of the children today have parents who were treated at Eastman Institute, and the Institute is known for its comprehensive specialist
Dental care for children and the adolescents.

The Eastman medal

is awarded to a person who has done a considerable contribution to Eastman Institute. The front of the medal portray George Eastman (1854-1932), on the back is the image of
the Eastman Institute building at Dalagatan 11, in Stockholm.

Eastman medal 2004
read more here»

George Eastman came to Stockholm and founded the institute, and although he was never given a chance to see it, the intention of his donation was fulfilled.

Sources:Eastmaninstitutet (Eastman Institute)
Narrative from the directors of Eastman institutegiven at the inauguration on Saturday April the 25th, 1936.
Från tand till tandhälsa (From toothache to dental health)
The Community Dental Care during the 1900s in the Stockholm region. Sven-Gustav Åstrand, 1997.