First Class Dentist, Posted on February 25, 2026

Photo: Dr. Ludwig Gaston Scott, his wife Vivian, and their four children in his Model T Ford.

Ludwig Gaston Scott, pictured here with his wife Vivian and their four children was a doctor, but not a physician. His father and brothers were all physicians, but Lud as he was called, wanted to be a dentist.

That was a problem. North Carolina did not have a dental school! However, in 1949 the NC State Assembly voted to create a new school to address the dental care needs of the state. The reason? During World War II it was discovered that many recruits had such bad teeth, they failed the physical and could not serve.

 Dr. John Brauer was appointed as the first dean of the School of Dentistry. It was his job to establish the curriculum and faculty. The first faculty were brought up from Emory University in Atlanta to get the school going.

So, in September of 1950 the first class of UNC School of Dentistry began classes in two Quonset huts. It would not be until 1952 that classes would be held in a brick and mortal building. These first 40 were called trailblazers and or pioneers. Fifty years later, they held a reunion and Dr. Lud was there.

One of Dr. Lud’s hobbies was old cars. Although large for its time, this Model T only held 5 people. Hence the youngest child was perched on her mother’s lap.

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