14
Apr
How dentistry has developed over the last 300 years
When you visit a modern dental surgery, it’s hard to imagine the challenges of dental treatment without all the latest technology.
Yet specialists have been taking care of people’s teeth for thousands of years.
Here are some of the key developments over the last 300 years.
1723: French surgeon Pierre Richard – credited as being the father of modern dentistry – published the first book to describe a comprehensive system for the practice of dentistry.
1760: John Baker, the earliest medically-trained dentist to practice in America, immigrates from England and sets up practice.
1790: John Greenwood adapts his mother’s foot treadle spinning wheel to rotate a drill.
1790: Josiah Flag, a prominent American dentist, constructs the first chair made specifically for dental patients.
1832: James Snell invents the first reclining dental chair.
1841: Alabama enacted the first dental practice act regulating dentistry in the United States.
1844: Horace Wells, a Connecticut dentist, discovers that nitrogenous oxide can be used as an anesthesia and successfully uses it to conduct several extractions in his private practice.
1880s: The collapsible metal tube revolutionized toothpaste manufacturing and marketing.
1890: Hillsborough Miller notes the microbial basis of dental decay in a book that started a worldwide movement to promote regular tooth brushing and flossing.
1896: New Orleans dentist C. Edmond Sells takes the first dental x-ray of a living person in the U.S.
1938: The nylon toothbrush, the first made with synthetic bristles, appears on the market.
1945: The water fluoridation era began when the cities of New Burgh, New York, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, added sodium fluoride to their public water systems.
1950s: The first fluoride toothpastes are marketed.
1960: The first commercial electric toothbrush, developed in Switzerland after World War II, is introduced in the United States. A cordless, rechargeable model follows in 1961.
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Angelica P. Summer, DPD, has been a Licensed Denturist in Seattle, Washington, since 1996. She has owned and operated A Dental and Denture in North Seattle since 1999. She completed her education at the University of the East and specializes in creating all types of dentures while you wait. Angelica is an active member of the Washington Denturist Association, National Denturist Association, and International Federation of Denturists.
Isabella Amar, DDS, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Math from the University of Washington and completed her doctorate from the UW School of Dentistry. During her academic career, she won Outstanding Scholastic Achievement and
Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society recognitions. Her approach to dental care is to provide the most optimal quality of treatment, creating a gentle experience and comfortable environment by forming personal connections with her patients and following up to ensure long-lasting results. She is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Fawaz Hatem, BDS, MSD, is an Oral Medicine Specialist with over 20 years of experience. He completed his Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Baghdad, Iraq, and obtained a Master’s degree from the UW School of Dentistry and further training from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Dr. Hatem has specialized training in Invisalign orthodontic treatment, sleep dentistry, teeth whitening, and administering Botox and dermal filler injections to enhance facial aesthetics and relieve TMJ symptoms. He is proficient in Arabic and English.
Dental Implant Specialist Kevin La, DDS, received his doctorate from UCLA School of Dentistry and his postgraduate qualification – an AEGD certificate – from the UPenn School of Dental Medicine. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and is now a mentor for Associate Fellow Candidates. He is also a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/ Implant Dentistry. The latter designation is the highest level of competence in implant dentistry. Dr. La serves as a mentor in study clubs and implant training courses. He is now in the teaching faculty at the Pacific Implant Academy (PIA) and co-director for the PIA Implant Live Surgery Course in Tijuana, Mexico.
All providers have years of experience and expertise in their respective areas and are focused on continuing education to provide the best services for their patients. They aim to bring beautiful, healthy smiles to everyone in Seattle, WA.