Dr. Manuel M. Album, 89, dental pioneer

Manuel M. Album, 89, formerly of Jenkintown, a dentist who was a pioneer in the care of children and the handicapped, died Saturday of a blood disorder at Harborage Nursing Home in North Bergen, N.J.

In the early 1950s, Dr. Album became chief of dental services at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and established the first postgraduate dental program in the United States to train students to care for the disabled.

He received several research grants to study types of anesthesia for dental patients with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities.

Dr. Album was a founding member of the Academy for Oral Rehabilitation of Handicapped Persons, and was founder and former president of the American Society of Dentistry for Children. In 1961, he chaired the society's convention in Philadelphia, which included a live telecast of a cleft palate operation.

In 1962, Dr. Album became director of a new clinic for handicapped children at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry, where he was an instructor. Children suffering from cardiac ailments, asthma, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, and emotional and mental problems received treatment, as did some handicapped adults.

Dr. Album published numerous articles and won a bronze medal at the Cannes Film Festival for a documentary he produced on dentistry for handicapped children. A travel enthusiast, he lectured all over the world on the importance of dental care for children and the handicapped, and received citations from several governments for his work.

Dr. Album maintained a practice in Jenkintown as well as working at Children's Hospital and teaching at Penn. When he retired in the late 1990s, he was honored by Mayor Edward G. Rendell and by Children's Hospital. The hundreds of residents he trained organized to become the Album Society, said his son, Michael.

Dr. Album graduated from Overbrook High School. He earned a bachelor's degree and a dental degree from Temple University. During World War II, he served in a medical dispensary in India with the Army Air Force.

He enjoyed playing golf at Philmont Country Club, spending time with his grandchildren, and researching his family's roots. His father, Rabbi Leon Album, who headed a synagogue in Wynnefield, was the last in a line of rabbis going back to 14th century Padua, Italy.

Since 1950, Dr. Album had been married to Shirley Israel Album. They met on the beach in Atlantic City.

In addition to his wife and son, Dr. Album is survived by a daughter, Fredlyn Heller, and four grandchildren.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Joseph Levine & Sons Memorial Chapel, 4737 Street Rd., Trevose.