Irving Glickman


Irving Glickman was an American clinical researcher in the field of periodontology and author. He was one of the first to classify furcation defects and the role of occlusal trauma on periodontal disease.
He studied dentistry at Tufts University. In 1941, he joined the faculty and became chair of Department of Periodontology in 1948.
In the 1950s, he developed the bone factor concept about the factors that determine the severity of periodontal destruction, and developed a classification system for furcation involvement
In 1965, he proposed a theory involving the relation of occlusal trauma to periodontal disease which led to further research in animal models. He subsequently married Violeta Arboleda, who went on to practice as a periodontist. Glickman and Arboleda had two children, Alan and Denise.
Glickman died on October 1, 1972, aged 58, following a heart attack in Massachusetts. In January 2012, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine dedicated the periodontology library, naming it in his honor.

Selected works