Objectives
The objectives of this Fraternity are to maintain and advance the high standards of dentistry by instilling in its members the spirit of fraternal cooperation; and to exert its influence for the advancement of the dental profession in its methods of teaching, of practice, of research, of ethics and of jurisprudence.

History
Early in the spring of 1892 William Sprigg Hamilton of Georgia, a student at Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Class of 1894 conceived the idea of founding a dental fraternity. He imparted his views to J. George Schmetzer, and the two planned the organization. Hamilton wrote the original Ritual and Constitution, which were submitted and adopted on the eighth day of June 1892 in the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the first dental college in the world.

Organizational Structure
School chapters are composed of initiated undergraduate dental student members of the fraternity.

Alumni chapters are composed of initiated members of the fraternity who have attained the Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine and of initiated honorary members.

The fraternity is composed of five regions known as provinces.

Each province has a Province Councilor who has been elected by the membership.

Each school chapter has an advisor known as a Deputy Councilor; the Deputy Councilor being an active alumni member.

The National Council, composed of the Province Councilors, manages the fraternity. The daily management is accomplished at the Central Office.