The Dental School has received a research donation approaching $3 million, the largest in its history, and today will rededicate its main building in honor of the donor's parents.

Sara Gelfand Dcutschmann '21 left the bequest to the school last July in her will In 1982, the last year for which figures are available, all gifts to the Dental School totaled just $88,000.

Dr. James H Shaw, professor of nutrition, said yesterday the gift was a tremendous boost to research "We've had a very tight spot here for many years because of our very small endowment, and because in recent years the federal money has been so short, he explained.

Dean of the Dental School Dr. Paul Gold haber yesterday called the gift a challenge "to intensity our efforts to eliminate oral and dental diseases." but refused to comment further about what exactly the money will be used for or the nature of the bequest.

The school is just now receiving the final installment of the gift's principal, and no final decision has been made about how the money will be distributed, according to Richard S. Carrol '40, associate dean for planning and resources

The grant will become part of the school's endowment, with the interest going to research projects each year

Dedication ceremonies of the Samuel and Ida Gelfand Research Center for Oral and Dental Diseases will begin at 11 a.m. today, with Goldhaber and President Bok the featured speakers. Bok could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Samuel and Ida Gelfand were trained Russian dentists who emigrated to the United States just after the turn of the century. Their daughter Sara had a lifelong interest in the profession and began donating funds to the Dental School in 1968, when she established a teaching fund also named after her parents.