We are lucky to live in a time when dental care is widely available, but that hasn’t always been the case throughout history!
Ancient Dentistry
The first dentist on record was Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe who died in 2600 BC. The ancient Egyptians used tooth powders and chewing sticks as early dental tools. Over the course of their history, they developed intricate procedures to help ease the pain of common dental ailments.
About two thousand years later in Ancient Greece, dentistry was a subject that famous philosophers like Aristotle wrote about extensively. His writings on dentistry even included how to wire fractured jaws and how to treat gum disease. The Etruscans experimented with false teeth not too long after!
The Middle Ages
In 1210, the Guild of Barbers was created in France. It included barber-surgeons that performed both shaves and tooth extractions. That’s right, the first dentists were also barbers! It wasn’t until the 1500s that the first text devoted to dentistry was published in Germany.
The Father of Modern Dentistry
Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon, is credited as being the father of modern dentistry after the publication of his book The Surgeon Dentist in 1723. It is cited as the first text to outline the practice of dentistry as a profession extensively.
The First American Dentists
The first dentist to practice in the United States was John Baker, who established his practice in 1760. Thirty years later, the first dental chair was invented. After this time, the profession took off. In 1839, the American Journal of Dental Science was established. The world’s first dental school, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, opened its doors one year later.
Dentistry Today
Dentistry has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. While the field is still constantly developing, dentists have not only figured out the best ways to properly care for teeth and issues related to oral health, but also the large impact that oral health has on the rest of the body. From cleanings to oral surgery, Hooks Family Dentistry strives on offering the leading-edge treatments so you and your family can feel confident knowing that you are receiving the best dental care possible. Contact us to schedule an appointment!
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