Part of the equipment of Antun Erdelec’s dental office
Kalinovac, Croatia, 1960s
inv. no. HMMF-5827

Antun Erdelec

Antun Erdelec, doctor of dentistry (Kalinovac, 1942 – 2023), grew up in a poor family engaged in agriculture. He completed the first four grades of elementary school in Kalinovac, and the second four in Đurđevac. He completed high school in Koprivnica in 1961. He enrolled in the School of Medicine in Zagreb in 1962 and after the first year transferred to the College of Dentistry in Osijek. In Osijek, he passed all exams with excellent results and thus became a senior dentist. After graduating from the College, he went to do his mandatory military service in Subotica for a year. After completing his military service, he got a job in Kloštar Podravski as a senior dentist and soon after enrolled in the Faculty of Dentistry in Zagreb. After graduating from faculty, he returned to work in Kloštar Podravski as a doctor of dentistry. He remained in that position until 1987, when he retired on disability. Dr. Antun Erdelec was the first dentist in Kalinovac, where many living patients still remember him and tell stories of his dedication to his work. The Erdelec family donated the complete dental office equipment from the legacy of Dr. Antun Erdelec, his photographs and documents about his education to the Croatian Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy.