Donations

There are various ways to give to the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry. We most appreciate donations of historical items from our wish list for the collection, but also accept monetary donations for the care and future development of our collections.  

Making a Donation 

Interested in making a donation to the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry? Please take a moment to fill out a donation form.

You can also email dentalmuseum@umich.edu or call (734-763-0767) us to discuss your proposed donation.

(Only the curator may accept historical items for the Museum collection. If you leave an item with other staff in the Dentistry Building without the involvement of the curator, there is no guarantee that those items will be accepted into the Museum collection or even acknowledged. Such items may be disposed of.)

Take pictures
Take digital photos of the items you wish to donate so that they may be evaluated for addition to our collection. Attach these to your email.

Make a descriptive list of the items you are offering

The history of the owner or user of the items helps us bring dental items "to life" for the Museum visitor. This information could make or break acceptance of an item into the Museum, so gather up any factual information about the original owner: name, place of use, dates of use, place of education, and any other interesting information about the original owner or their importance in their community.

Once a Gift is acceptable to the Museum
All gifts accepted by the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry become the property of the Museum, which reserves the right to determine the use and disposition of the gifts.  Materials accepted as gifts cannot be returned to donors, and the Museum does not guarantee all items added will be exhibited. A Museum Gift Agreement form transferring ownership.

Appraisals of the Gift-in-kind
Seeking an appraiser and contracting their services is the responsibility of the donor. By law, the Museum may not appraise gifts nor participate in an appraisal.  Qualified appraisers can be found by contacting the American Society of Appraisers.

Instructions for donors seeking IRS tax-deduction
For those seeking an IRS tax-deduction, a “fair market value” must be entered on the Donor Tax-Deduction Questionaire that accompanies a gift agreement form. “Fair Market Value” is defined by IRS as “the price a willing, knowledgeable buyer would pay a willing, knowledgeable seller, when neither has to buy or sell”.

Wish List

We need your help in finding back issues of the School of Dentistry's Alumni Bulletin from the very beginning up to 1970! We are looking for missing issues from the last century with our biggest gaps from the earliest years to 1935 and from 1942-1952. If you or your family have any of these back issues and would be willing to donate to our collection, please contact us directly using the Sindecuse Museum Donation Form.

Items accepted

• Photographs of dentists or dental staff in their dental office

• Interior company/factory photographs and advertising items from any Michigan dental supplier, equipment manufacturer or laboratory.

• Dental equipment and tools in excellent condition, especially if made or used in Michigan with a known history of use

• Dentist and hygienist occupational uniforms pre-1980, with known owners

• Dental supplier catalogs and equipment manuals or instructions, 1940-2000

• Personal dental hygiene items like toothpastes, powders, toothbrushes, picks, mouth rinses

• Advertising literature or posters featuring dental products, dentists or dental practices

Items Not Accepted

• Text books, professional periodicals, newspapers or clippings

• Human remains including those used in anatomical study

• Any item with mold