The first female dentist in Iran, Badri Teymourtash established a clinical and academic legacy that earned her the title Mother of Dentistry within her home country. Her professional life spanned the transition of dental medicine from a nascent field to an organized university discipline, leaving an impact that persisted long after her retirement and death in 1995.
Early Education and Political Exile
Born in 1911 to an influential family in Mashhad, Teymourtash traveled to Belgium in the late 1920s for formal dental training. While she considered a career in humanitarian medicine within the Belgian Congo following her graduation, shifting political circumstances forced a change in plans. The 1932 fall of her brother, Abdolhossein Teymourtash, led to her return to Iran. She subsequently spent eight years under house arrest and in exile at family estates in Khorasan.
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Following the abdication of Reza Shah in 1941 and a subsequent general amnesty for political figures and their families, Teymourtash relocated to Mashhad. She initiated her career as a practitioner before shifting focus toward institutional growth. In 1965, she partnered with Esmael Sondoozi to establish the School of Dentistry at Mashhad University, providing a structural foundation for future practitioners in the region.
Academic Contributions and Legacy
Beyond her administrative work, Teymourtash contributed to the literature of her field through technical publications. Her textbook, Dahaan Pezeshki, served as a significant instructional resource for oral medicine. She remained active in the university system until her retirement in 1989. After her death in 1995, she was buried in the Holy Shrine, specifically the Sahne Azadi, in Mashhad. The library at the Mashhad University School of Dentistry was later renamed in recognition of her contributions.
Fast facts
- Born: 1911, Mashhad, Iran
- Died: 1995
- Occupations: Dentist, physician
- Burial site: Holy Shrine (Sahne Azadi), Mashhad
- Academic milestone: Co-founder of Mashhad University’s School of Dentistry
- Key publication: Dahaan Pezeshki
- Retirement year: 1989
- Citizenship: Iran
Questions readers ask
Why is she called the Mother of Dentistry in Iran?
She is recognized as the first female dentist in the country and played a foundational role in establishing the School of Dentistry at Mashhad University.
Where is Badri Teymourtash buried?
She is buried at the Holy Shrine, known as Sahne Azadi, located in Mashhad, Iran.
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