David Mahler was born and raised in Yonkers, NY. He studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Michigan prior to WWII. During the war he served in aircraft maintenance. Postwar he returned to U.M. for his Masters and Doctorate. An assumed future with Boeing was derailed by temporary job with University of Oregon Dental School, which steered him into the field of Dental Biomaterials. He built his department from scratch and became an internationally honored expert on dental amalgam. He discusses relations with University and School of Dentistry administrations; shares much technical information; and laments that fluoridation became such a political football.
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