Meet the Firsts: The Pioneers of Dentistry

Dentists today practice during the peak of innovation. With remarkable technology and a better understanding of oral health, modern dentistry offers state-of-the-art diagnostics and pain-free treatments. But dentistry wasn’t always this accomplished.

The earliest evidence of dentistry dates to around 7500 BC in Egypt. This ancient civilization was also the first to use replacement teeth to compensate for missing ones. Although the early prototypes of crowns and modern dentures weren’t quite as flawless as they are today, these practices laid the foundation for dentistry through the ages.

Here, we’ll take you through the intriguing “firsts” in the field of dentistry. We look at how these pioneers contributed to breaking new ground, bringing us to where we are today.

Firsts in the Field of Dentistry

First Dental Practitioner: Hesy-Re (2600 BC)

Historians have identified Hesy-Re, who lived in Egypt in the third dynasty, as the world’s first dentist. The Egyptian civilization was the first to dedicate specialists to oral health treatment. Their dentists also developed scaling instruments and executed some of the first bridgework by securing teeth with silver and gold wire. In addition, Egyptians invented the first toothpaste by combining rock salt, mint, black pepper, and flowers.

First Dentistry-Related Professional Association: Guild of Barbers (1210)

During the Middle Ages in Europe, dentistry was part of general medicine and not recognized as a profession itself. Besides general physicians advising on dental problems, Medieval barbers performed extractions and treatments to clear tooth infections.

Barbers began to develop their skills and training. In 1210, the Guild of Barbers was formed in France. The association evolved into two groups. Some undertook complex operations as surgeons, while lay barbers performed only extractions and routine hygiene.

Father of Modern Dentistry: Pierre Fauchard (1723)

Also known as The Surgeon Dentist, Pierre Fauchard (1678 to 1761) played a significant role in establishing dentistry as a profession. Fauchard worked to move dentistry away from mythical assumptions toward trustworthy scientific reasoning. With his microscopic observations, he disproved the prevalent tooth worm theory, suggesting that sugar was the cause of dental caries as opposed to a worm.

In 1723, Fauchard compiled the first complete scientific description of dentistry. This text was a collection of dental knowledge and techniques of the time, with descriptions of what worked and what didn’t. It also included scientific descriptions of oral anatomy and pathology, methods for decay removal and tooth restoration, and information on orthodontics, periodontal disease, and endodontics.

First Dentist to Practice in America: John Baker (1760)

Barber surgeons came with early colonists from Europe to America and began to establish their trade within growing settlements and colonies. As colonies expanded, surgeon dentists and trained dental operators brought further skills and knowledge to the US. The Englishman John Baker was the first medically trained dentist to practice in America. He and other European practitioners served as mentors to the next generation of American dentists.

First American Dentist: Isaac Greenwood (1760)

Isaac Greenwood was the first American dentist. He passed his profession on to his children, who also established dental practices. His son, John Greenwood, later became a dentist to America’s first president, George Washington. Greenwood created four sets of dentures for the president to help alleviate his dental difficulties.

First Dental Chair: Josiah Flagg (1790s)

Well-known American dentist Dr. Josiah Flagg designed the first dental chair. He did this by modifying a wooden chair with a headrest and adding an arm extension to house dental instruments.

First Dental Publication: Richard Skinner (1801)

Richard Skinner was responsible for the first dental publication in America—A Treatise on the Human Teeth. Over the course of its 26 pages, Skinner summarized dental anatomy, treatments, and diseases. As a passionate advocate of public health, he produced the pamphlet to promote oral health, prevent disease, and educate the general public in an informative yet simple way.

Skinner was also the first dentist appointed to a hospital, and he established the first dental clinic for the underprivileged, where dental services were provided free of charge.

First Dental School: Horace Hayden and Chapin Harris (1840)

During the early- to mid-1800s, dental practitioners acquired qualifications through medical schools, where dentistry formed only a part of the curriculum. Graduates had to acquire skills through apprenticeships.

Horace Hayden, who was also instrumental in the formation of the first national dental society (The American Dental Association), believed that practitioners required more specialized education. Together with Chapin Harris, he established the world’s first independent dental school—The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery—which launched in 1840. The pair also established the DDS degree based on the teachings of Pierre Fauchard. In 1923 the school merged with the University of Maryland.

Several schools offering specialized DDS and Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry programs emerged thereafter.

First Woman to Practice Dentistry in the US: Emeline Roberts Jones (1855)

Emeline Roberts married dentist Dr. Daniel Jones when she was 18. Although she displayed an interest in her husband’s profession, he was not in favor of her practicing. Dentistry at the time was not considered a suitable profession for females. Nonetheless, Emeline secretly pursued her interest.

After she filled and extracted several hundred teeth behind the scenes and displayed her ability to her husband, he permitted her to work on some patients. She eventually joined him at his practice, where she became a partner. After the death of her husband in 1864, she moved and established a successful practice where she worked until her retirement in 1915.

Emeline Roberts Jones' career spanned six decades and she received numerous awards and prestigious honors for her work.

First Female Dentist to Earn a DDS Degree: Lucy Beaman Hobbs Taylor (1866)

Lucy Hobbs Taylor was a pioneer for women in dentistry. She relentlessly pursued her path to practice dentistry despite multiple rejections from dental colleges. Her determination and hard work not only earned her a doctorate in dental surgery but also sparked new educational opportunities for women.

In addition, Lucy Hobbs Taylor trained her husband as a restorative dentist and became one of the most respected dental professionals in history.

First Black Dentist: Robert Tanner Freeman (1869)

Robert Tanner Freeman was a graduate of Harvard University Dental School in 1869. His classmate, George Franklin Grant, graduated soon after and joined the faculty to become the first African American dental educator. Freeman and Grant both paved the way for increased dental service delivery to African American communities.

First Black Female Dentist: Ida Gray Nelson Rollins (1890)

Ida Gray graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1890 as the first African American woman to receive a dental degree.

Legacy of the Pioneers of Dentistry

The dental solutions we have today are a culmination of centuries of “firsts” and the pursuits of passionate pioneers. In the late 1890s, with just two staff members, Sterngold received credit for manufacturing the first specialized alloyed dental casting golds.

Now, more than a century later, Sterngold continues to innovate and serve dental practitioners and labs as a leading source of modern restorative dentistry products. Sterngold assists practices and labs to enhance workflows and adopt new technologies with integrated educational support.

Contact our Sterngold team today to embrace modern solutions that benefit your practice, your patients, and your bottom line.