National Museum of Dentistry's Executive Director Rosemary Fetter Announces Retirement

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DENTISTRY’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROSEMARY FETTER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

BALTIMORE, MD (June 9, 2009)—Rosemary Fetter, Executive Director of the National Museum of Dentistry for the past 10 years, will retire at the end of the Museum’s fiscal year on June 30, 2009.

“We have benefited enormously from her commitment and passion for our museum,” said Board of Visitors Chair Michael Sudzina. “Under her leadership, the National Museum of Dentistry has become the premier dental museum in the world.”

“I have been extraordinarily privileged to serve as the Executive Director of the National Museum of Dentistry for the last 10 years,” said Fetter, who has been an active member the staff since the Museum’s inaugural year in 1996. “The Museum has expanded its founding role as a tribute to the history of the dental profession to become a nationally recognized educational resource that is making an impact on people’s awareness of the importance of good oral health across the country. I leave with a tremendous sense of pride and appreciation for the work of our friends, supporters and staff in helping to bring the Museum to this level of accomplishment.”

Fetter joined the Museum staff as Director of Development during the Museum’s first year of operation in 1996. In 1998, she was promoted to Director of Development and Administration, and in 1999 she was named Executive Director. During her tenure, she established a Board of Visitors with national membership and further strengthened volunteer participation by creating a Corporate Advisory Committee, a National Allied Advisory Committee, and a National Advisory Committee with a dentist representative from each state. She established procedures to effectively manage museum operations, brought an interactive focus to exhibitions and programs that meet the Museum’s mission to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health to a healthy life, and created fund raising and donor relations strategies to bring strong financial support to the museum.

During her career, Fetter has received recognition as a professional musician, educator and museum professional. In addition to performances across America and Europe, she served as the Director of the Cloisters Children’s Museum of Baltimore. She has held academic positions at Appalachian State University and Randolph Macon Woman’s College and was an Arts Administrator for the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Art and Culture in Baltimore. Fetter has twenty years of experience in higher education and museums. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and holds a master’s degree in fine arts from Tulane University and in management from the College of Notre Dame. She will be awarded with Honorary Fellowship in the American College of Dentists this fall, recognizing her exceptional contribution to dentistry and the dental profession.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DENTISTRY

The National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is a lively national center where visitors learn the importance of a healthy smile and the rich history of dentistry. Recognized for its innovative exhibits and programs that educate the public about the importance of oral health in a healthy life, the museum is designated by Congress as the official museum of the dental profession in the United States. This one-of-a-kind museum is located at 31 S. Greene Street on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore—home of the world’s first dental school. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for youths, seniors, and students with ID, and free for children age 6 & under and NMD members. Open Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday 1–4 p.m. Call 410/706-0600 or visit www.smile-experience.org.