In June 1959 Dr. Leon Segat of the Crown and Bridge department at the University of Michigan School Of Dentistry spearheaded the efforts at establishing a study club devoted to the advancement of the art and science of crown and bridge prosthodontics. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and plans were made to initiate members and hold meetings. The first officers elected were Dr. Fred Schelkun, president; Dr. Ron Fox, president-elect; Dr. Robert Benetau, secretary; and Dr. Ron Heath, treasurer.

Dr. Francis B. Vedder, who had recently retired as chairman of Crown and Bridge from the dental school, consented to the use of his name for the society and spoke at the inaugural meeting of the society in November 1959 at the Michigan League. At this meeting Dr. Philip Jay and Dr. Dean Millard presented the first scientific program to the society.

During his remarks at this inaugural meeting Dr. Vedder expressed great concern for the numbers of teeth lost at that time and hoped the society would devote itself to the study of the prevention of conditions that necessitate full mouth rehabilitations. He related how crown and bridge prosthodontics was a rather crude science, and how many of the early practitioners struggled through many failures. Cautioning that we had by no means reached the zenith of development, he envisioned tremendous progress ahead for all areas of dentistry.

Dr. Vedder also suggested occasionally looking back, he felt this was important to avoid past mistakes. He was also concerned about losing the respect the profession had gained from the public, and felt we should avoid 'gimmicks' but strive toward progress. He said, “I think an organization of this kind can make a valuable contribution to the profession by the practical evaluation of many of those things that are presented to the profession as new. The Vedder Society began in circumstances similar to the Bunting Society and the Kingery Study Club and paralleled those clubs in Michigan. A unique feature of the Vedder Society has been the initiation of laboratory technicians as members, reflecting the importance of technicians in the delivery of crown and bridge services. The society grew rapidly and now has approximately 400 members.

The list of speakers who have presented programs includes many of the great names in restorative dentistry during the past fifty years. They include Avery Bartlett, Homer Faust, Jerome Schweitzer, George Myers, Miles Markley, Ralph Philips, Henry Tanner, Stanley Tylman, Rex Ingram, Everett Payne, Victor Lucia, Harry Lundeen, R. Sheldon Stein, Max Kornfeld, Charles Stuart, Niles Guichet, Cliff Fox, Gordon Christiansen, Jack Preston, Lloyd Miller, John Flocken, Ralph Youdelis, George Zarb, Masahiro Kuwata, Terry Tanaka, Terry Donovan, Robert Winter, David Garber, Joe Clayton, Dan Sullivan, Al Filastre, John Kanka, Jeff Okeson, Denis Tarnow, William Strupp, Gerard Chiche, Frank Spear, John Kois, and Bernard Touati.

The Vedder society spring meeting invites the top five undergraduate students, judged by their faculty, from The University of Detroit Mercy and The University of Michigan as well as the prosthodontic graduate students as guests of the society. A cash award and certificate is given to the outstanding senior dental student in crown and bridge prosthodontics at each school.

In 2009 the F. B. Vedder Society celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, continuing its tradition of promoting excellence in crown and bridge prosthodontics and service to dentistry.