Harris, Dr. John, Dental School
Why it's listed
A small brick cottage on the western edge of Bainbridge, Ohio, beside heavily traveled U.S. Route 50, was both the home and the school of Dr. John Harris. In 1825 he advertised that he would instruct medical students, giving special attention to dentistry. The school closed in 1830, yet its graduates shaped the field. Among them were Chapin A. Harris, who co-founded the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the first dental college in the nation; James Taylor, who founded the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati; and John Allen, who perfected porcelain dental work. One article counted 57 of the first 104 North American dental colleges as tracing their roots to Harris students. The one-story building has a central door with a rectangular transom, painted brick walls and a high gable roof. Its three rooms now hold exhibits on the history of dentistry, and the museum is open free of charge.
Significance in brief: Harris taught medical and dental students here from 1825 to 1830, and several of them became pioneers in making dentistry an independent profession. Students included founders of the first dental college in the nation and the second known dental college. A 1963 article credited Harris students as the origin of 57 of the first 104 dental colleges in North America. The American Dental Association confirmed the school's priority in a 1939 resolution.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001521, listed July 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Bainbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Ross County |
| Listed | July 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001521 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date 1825 |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition and essentially original in basic configuration; used as a dental museum open to the public without charge. The interior is somewhat altered for museum use, and asphalt shingles replace the original wood shakes. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.22743, -83.27237 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001521.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5664869
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.