Omicron Kappa Upsilon

Omicron Kappa Upsilon (ΟΚΥ) is a national honorary society serving the field of dentistry.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon
ΟΚΥ
FoundedMay 21, 1914 (May 21, 1914)
Northwestern University Dental School
TypeHonorary
AffiliationIndependent
EmphasisDentistry
ScopeNational
Colors  Navy blue,   Gold and   Lilac
Chapters63
Headquartersc/o Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University
Attn: Dr. J. Suzuki, OKU
3223 N. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19140
USA
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The Society originated with the 1914 graduating class of the dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. The idea for the fraternity came from the Dean of the Northwestern University Dental School, Dr. Green Vardiman Black, "G.V. Black", who soon invited the deans of 51 other dental school extant at the time to organize chapters of their own, forming a network of locals. The Society was incorporated on March 15, 1916 by the State of Illinois. It quickly expanded, with its Alpha through Kappa chapters considered to be "founding chapters."[1][2]

Omicron Kappa Upsilon's first Canadian chapter was Tau Tau, at the University of Toronto, followed by chapters at the University of Manitoba, University of British Columbia, and the University of Western Ontario. Of these, only the Toronto unit remains active.[2]

The Society has expanded to serve most US and Canadian dental schools, with few exceptions. Several dental schools have shuttered over the years, resulting in the cessation of active chapters on those campuses. The Society's Alpha chapter at Northwestern closed in 2001 when that school's dental program ceased.[1][2] The Society has 63 active chapters as of 2022.

Membership

Membership is conferred in a two-step process, first by the student's attainment within the top 20% of a school's graduating class, then by a faculty vote based on qualities including character, service, research, etc. Thus only the top 12% of students are selected. The Society also offers faculty and honorary membership categories. [1][2]

Symbols and traditions

Lilac is the traditional symbol of Dentistry. It features prominently on graduation stoles for students and faculty within the field, and is used as the primary color for ΟΚΥ materials and publications. The official colors of the society are Navy blue and gold, using Lilac trim.[3]

The official key of the society is a monogram of the letters of the name of the society, Ο, Κ and Υ, superimposed on a larger, stylized Sigma (Σ) which represents the word Conservation, in Greek.[1]

Chapters

Chapters of Omicron Kappa Upsilon include the following. Active chapters noted in bold, inactive chapters noted in italics.[1][4][2]

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha May 21, 1914–2001 Northwestern University Evanston, IL Inactive Dental school closed in 2001
Beta 1916 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Active
Gamma 1916–1991 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO Inactive Dental school closed in 1991
Delta 1916 Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR Active
Epsilon 1916 Creighton University Omaha, NE Active
Zeta 1916 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Active
Eta 1916 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Active
Theta 1916–1936, 1965 Ohio State University Columbus, OH Active
Iota 1916–1965 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Inactive Dental school closed late 1920s;
Chapter closed in 1965 ?		 [1]
Kappa 1921 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Active
Lambda 1921–1988 Emory University Atlanta, GA Inactive Dental school closed in 1988
Mu 1923 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Active
Nu 1924 University of Louisville Louisville, KY Active
Xi 1924 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Active
Omicron 1925 Texas A&M University (originally Baylor) Dallas, TX Active [5]
Pi 1925–1993 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Inactive Dental school closed in 1993
Rho 1929 University of Missouri–KC Kansas City, MO Active [6]
Sigma 1928 University of Illinois Chicago, IL Active
Tau 1929–1970 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA Inactive Dental school closed in 1970
Upsilon 1929 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Active
Phi 1930 University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MD Active
Chi 1930 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Active
Psi 1930 University of Tennessee Memphis, TN Active
Omega 1930 New York University New York, NY Active
Alpha Alpha 1930 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, NE Active
Beta Beta 1930 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Active
Gamma Gamma 1930 Harvard University Boston, MA Active
Delta Delta 1933 University of the Pacific San Francisco, CA Active
Epsilon Epsilon 1934 Columbia University New York, NY Active
Zeta Zeta 1934–1990 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. Inactive Dental school closed in 1990
Eta Eta 1934–1967 Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO Inactive Dental school closed in 1967
Dental school re-established with SIU		 [7]
Theta Theta 1934 Indiana University Indianapolis, IN Active
Iota Iota Unassigned
Kappa Kappa 1936 Temple University Philadelphia, PA Active
Lambda Lambda 1937 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Active
Mu Mu 1940 University of Texas Houston, TX Active
Nu Nu 1941 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI Active
Xi Xi 1944 Tufts University Boston, MA Active
Omicron Omicron 1945 Meharry Medical College Nashville, TN Active
Pi Pi 1948 Howard University Washington, D.C. Active
Rho Rho 1948 University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA Active
Sigma Sigma 1950 University of Washington Seattle, WA Active
Tau Tau 1950 University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Active
Upsilon Upsilon 1953 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Active
Phi Phi 1954 University of Alabama Birmingham, AL Active
Chi Chi 1956 Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CA Active
Psi Psi 1957–1990 Fairleigh Dickinson University Rutherford, NJ Inactive Dental school closed in 1990
Omega Omega 1957 Rutgers University (UMDJN) Newark, NJ Active [8]
Alpha Beta 1961 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Active
Beta Gamma 1961 University of Puerto Rico School San Juan, PR Active
Gamma Delta 1961–20xx ? University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Inactive
Delta Epsilon 1966 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Active [2]
Epsilon Zeta 1967 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Active [2]
Zeta Eta 1970 University of South Carolina Charleston, SC Active [2]
Eta Theta 1970–20xx ? University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia Inactive [2]
Theta Kappa 1971 Louisiana State University New Orleans, LA Active [2]
Kappa Lambda 1972 Augusta University Augusta, GA Active [2]
Lambda Mu 1972 Boston University Boston, MA Active [2]
Mu Nu 1973 UT Health San Antonio San Antonio, TX Active [2]
Nu Xi 1973 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL Active [2][7]
Xi Omicron 1974 University of Florida Gainesville, FL Active [2]
Omicron Pi 1975 University of Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK Active [2]
Pi Rho 1976 University of Colorado Denver Aurora, CO Active [2]
Rho Sigma 1977 University of Mississippi Jackson, MS Active [2]
Sigma Tau 1977 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Active [2]
Tau Upsilon 1979–1986 Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK Inactive Dental school closed in 1986 [2]
Upsilon Phi 1984–2000 ? University of Western Ontario London, Ontario Inactive [2]
Phi Chi 1997 University of Connecticut Farmington, CT Active [2]
Chi Psi 2000 Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Active [2]
Psi Omega 2003 University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Active [2]
Beta Alpha 2007 Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (A.T. Still) Mesa, AZ Active [2]
Beta Delta 2010 Midwestern University (Arizona) Glendale, AZ Active [2]
Beta Epsilon 2012 Midwestern University (Illinois) Downers Grove, IL Active
Beta Zeta 2013 Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, CA Active
Beta Eta 2015 East Carolina University Greenville, NC Active
Beta Theta Unassigned ?
Beta Iota Unassigned ?
Beta Kappa Unassigned ?
Beta Lambda 2017 Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (A.T. Still) Kirksville, MO Active
Beta Mu 2018 Touro University Valhalla, NY Active

References
  1. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VI-126-127. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. Suzuki, DDS, PhD, MBA, FACD, Dr. Jon (Spring 2011). "Omicron Kappa Upsilon: a historical and current perspective" (PDF). Journal of the American College of Dentists. Gaithersburg, MD: American College of Dentists. 78 (1): 19–23. PMID 21739867.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Noted in the 2021 Commencement brochure for the University at Buffalo, p.22, accessed 19 May 2022.
  4. OKU national chapter list, accessed 19 May 2022.
  5. Note, Baylor University's dental school was moved to Texas A&M in 1996.
  6. The school originated as the Kansas City Dental College, then merged with Western Dental College, eventually becoming part of the University of Missouri system.
  7. Southern Illinois University and Saint Louis University share a cooperative dental education program. Accessed 19 May 2022.
  8. This chapter originated at Seton Hall University.

See also
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