The History of Pediatric Dentistry

Over the centuries, people have learned rather quickly that oral health is important to overall well-being. Ancient civilizations in Greece, Rome, and Egypt realized this and began the early foundation for dentistry to develop. Yet, as we know it today, dentistry has several specialized branches thanks to advancements made in the past. One notable branch of dentistry that’s developed is pediatric dentistry. Unlike general dentistry, pediatric dentistry hasn’t been around for a long time since it’s a fairly recent development. So, it begs the question, “What exactly is the history behind pediatric dentistry?” Find out here and learn everything about its origins.

A Comprehensive Timeline of Pediatric Dentistry

Initiation Stage: The Origin of Pediatric Dentistry

The earliest known origins of pediatric dentistry were during the turn of the 19th century.

General dentistry was a growing profession at this time – however, few dentists catered their practices to children. And, when there was a dentist who oversaw children’s teeth, they only focused on fixing the oral issues without also explaining any preventative habits. Thankfully, one recent graduate from the University of California’s dental program in 1898 noticed this issue.

Who was this person? Minnie Evangeline Jordan.

She’s considered the mother of pediatric dentistry as she began the groundwork for it. It was in 1909 that she established the first dental practice in the United States devoted only to children. From there, she and many other like-minded contemporaries built upon bringing more awareness about the importance of children’s dental care.

Bud Stage: Spreading Awareness During the 1900s

Part of what Jordan had posited for oral health for children was stressing the importance of preventative dental care. It inspired a dentist from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to share this with the demographic that needs to know this information the most. Alfred C. Fones, the father of dental hygiene, figured it’s best to do so in a place where all children learn and congregate – school. By 1914, he was the first to start a program that brought dental care to public schools.

Meanwhile, Jordan continued to spread awareness by providing a lecture to the Los Angeles County Nurses’ Association on “The Relation of the Teeth to the Development of the Child” in 1916. Later, in 1921, she presented a paper to the California State Dental Association meeting called “Relation of Food to the Developing Teeth.” Her presentation advocated for preventative dental care by recommending fewer sweets and more milk, coarse grains, eggs, and vegetables in children’s diets.

Her valuable insights were worth sharing with other dental professionals. In 1925, that became a reality as she published the first textbook on the subject, titled “Operative Dentistry for Children,” which pioneered pediatric dentistry for education.

Cap Stage: Making Strides Between the 1940s & 1950s

The essential findings from Jordan impacted how children uphold their oral health. Beyond teaching children preventative care, there were other wide scale measures to ensure it.

For instance, by the 1940s, dentists provided better toothbrushes. Instead of coming from animal hair, it’s made from nylon. These toothbrushes make it easier for children to practice good oral hygiene since they’ve helped to improve preventive oral health.

Another widespread means of preventative care started in the 1950s with the introduction of fluoridate to public water supply in cities. Not only did it help keep children’s teeth resistant to cavities better, but everyone else of varying ages.

This time also founded the first pediatric dental health professionals group that started the American Academy of Pedodontics.

Bell Stage: Recognition Between the 1960s to Mid-1980s

All these strides toward pediatric dentistry finally paid off. By the 1960s, the United States government created the Pediatric Dentistry Training Program. This program’s purpose is to teach dentists how to treat the specific needs of children. The introduction of formal education and training paired with wide scale preventative care measures has positively impacted children’s oral health. By the mid-1980s, this is best exemplified by a significant drop in cavities in children across the population. All these insights and measures amounted to better dental care from a young age into adulthood.

Maturation Stage: Modern Pediatric Dentistry Today

Nowadays, pediatric dentistry is a respected specialized branch of dentistry. Pediatric dentistry has a refined framework for children’s dental care now. For example, it’s practically a standard for children to see a pediatric dentist once their first tooth appears to help them develop positive oral hygiene habits early. 

There have even been preventative care measures introduced to federal governments for the sake of public health. One example was the 2014 Affordable Care Act in the United States which stated that pediatric dental care must be offered to all children. However, like any field, pediatric dentistry will continue to make strides to better itself. As you can see, pediatric dentistry is integral toward fostering better dental care for children that will encourage habits to remain well into adulthood. These pivotal insights and measures are responsible for better, brighter, healthier smiles in children – and will continue to do so in the future with more potential developments.