Dentistry - A history

A profession concerned with the treatment of oral diseases including diseases of teeth and structures along with tissues of the mouth. According to the older accounts, dentistry has been practiced since ancient times. The minimal evidence provides an account that the Egyptians practiced oral surgeries for humans as well as animals. The Etruscans happened to be the initiators of restorative dentistry, in an area which is now being called Italy. The Roman conquerors of Etruscans also adopted the tradition of dentistry and made it a regular thing. The ancient dentist in the Greek era also practiced oral medicine including tooth extractions.

In the East, dentistry had different historical accounts. According to the reports, the Chinese practiced restorative dentistry using silver amalgam as fillings. Although the Muslims did not practice any such treatment due to the prescription in the Qur'an against mutilating the body, the writings of Avicenna and Abu-al-Qasim show that scaling and cleaning of teeth were practiced. After the demise of Romans, Dentistry became restricted. Later on, the dentistry in monasteries was banned, but barbers continued their work and called themselves Barber-surgeons. Afterward, Henry VIII's charter introduced them to the world as a dentist.

By the 16th century, a leading surgeon, Pierre Fauchard separated dentistry from the field of surgery. Afterward, dentistry came to colonial America. The most prominent figure in dentistry was John Greenwood, the dentist of George Washington. Subsequently, the first dental journal along with the first dental school and dental society were introduced. Inventions also took place in the field of dentistry including handheld drills.

In the current age, our way to comfortable lives for ordinary humans as well as the dentists themselves and a profitable medium to introduce new inventions to the world is the profession of a dentist.