A dentist, sometimes called oral surgeons, is a medical professional specializing in the mouth and teeth. They provide a diagnosis of diseases, prevent mouth-born infections, and treatment for such conditions and diseases. The dentist profession has been around since the early 1400s, with the first dentists being barbers, believe it or not. Dentists first came about in China and France and have been evolving to the profession it is today as time went on. 

In France and China, they developed two distinct groups. One being called Guild of Barbers. The other is called Lay Barbers. The Guild of Barbers were the more distinguished group. They were educated to read, write, and how to do complex surgeries. The Lay Barbers, on the other hand, were formed and only allowed to do minor hygienic clean up such as shaving, tooth extraction, and very basic surgeries. In the mid to late 1400s, France passed laws prohibiting the Lay Barbers from practicing all types of surgery. In the 1530’s up to 1575, most 

 publications were focused on dentistry. 

Many people consider a french man named Ambroise Paré to be the father of oral surgery. Before he was a dentist, he was an Army doctor and developed a revolutionary way to extract bullets from their wounds. Ambroise published many books about what he believed to be the proper way to take care of your mouth and provide care to patients. We may not have had the invention of toothbrushes if it weren’t for Ambroise’s discoveries and publications. He was a barber-surgeon who worked on many monarchs throughout his lifetime. Paré is praised for raising the status of a barber-surgeon. 

An additional big name in the dentistry past is another french man named Pierre Fauchard. He is praised for being the father of modern dentistry. He was the first to publish a scientific textbook regarding proper dental practice and techniques in 1728. As time went on more and more people started to train as a dentist due to Pierre’s book. Europeans started migrating to America to expand their knowledge and to set up their own practices. By 1760 America had its native own practices. At the time, newspapers were used to spread the word about these dental services. By 1770 the dentistry profession was booming—new techniques to try and adopt. New tools were being developed specifically for dentists—a wheel gun to clean teeth quicker and more efficiently. A new type of chair specifically made for dentist’s patients was being developed as well. Around 1867 the first school specifically for dental professionals came about, along with the Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree. The first-ever tubed toothpaste finally came in the 1840’s replacing the liquor and powders that were once used by everyone.

The history of a dentist goes as far back as the discovery of America. Barbers in China and France were trying to help out their customers more than just cutting their hair soon developed into what we know today as dentists. If it were not for them, who knows what today’s world would look like. I think everyone would be walking around angry with a toothache but, who is to say, really? It is fascinating that even with so few resources, the people of yesterday shaped the world we live in today.