The History of Dentistry

Tooth maladies are not limited to modern day. Throughout the ages, writings have highlighted treatment of oral problems. Toothache was a primary problem. The earliest civilizations share the explanations of toothaches as being caused by tooth worms or tooth demons.

Early civilizations mostly all shared the belief that tooth decay was caused by tooth worms. This concept was accepted for centuries in Western Civilization. It was not challenged until 1728 by Pierre Fauchard, who is considered the father of modern dentistry.

Baltimore College opened the world's first dental college in 1840. Harvard University soon followed with an opening of a dental school in 1867.

The American Dental Association which provides guidelines was formed in 1859 by a group of 26 dentists who met in Niagara Falls, New York. The need for governmental regulations for dental practice grew out of this new formal dental education.

Today the science continues to evolve with new equipment such as lasers replacing drills and digital images replacing x-ray films.