David Farrar Mitchell: dental researcher & educator.

David Farrar Mitchell, DDS, PhD (1918-1975), was a pioneer in aviation dentistry and a leader in dental education, service and research. In the mid-1940's, he was the first dental officer assigned to the School of Aviation Medicine (SAM) in San Antonio, Texas, a unique, Army Air Corps organization for research and teaching. From 1942-1946, as a trained dental researcher and oral pathologist, he published works on dental problems afflicting military aviators, especially those associated with high altitude flying. His work greatly influenced ongoing dental treatment of military flyers. He served as faculty chairman of two dental schools: The University of Minnesota (1948-1955) and Indiana University (1955-1975). Of his 33 graduate students in oral pathology/medicine, 28 became department chairs at dental schools throughout the world. He was president of the American Academy of Oral Pathology (1962) and of the American Association for Dental Research (1975). From 1969 to 1975, he was editor of the prestigious Journal of Dental Research. During his professional career, Dr. Mitchell published 120 scientific articles on diverse topics relating to oral diagnosis and oral medicine.

Centenary year of scientific papers in the British Dental Journal.

It was no accident that Warren Harvey's paper on 'Tooth temperature with reference to dental pain while flying' was published during the Second World War, as Harvey was given the opportunity to investigate this subject after aircrew reported dental problems during flight. Group Captain Peter Richardson of the RAF Institute of Dental Health and Training reviews the paper.

Air Force Dental Service commemorates golden anniversary, 1949 to 1999.

For 50 years, evolving from aviation dentistry to aerospace dentistry, the U.S. Air Force Dental Service has successfully met the challenge of supporting the mission of the Air Force as well as made significant contributions to the profession of dentistry. This commemorative article not only highlights its achievements but serves as an historical tribute to the Dental Service's past of honoring the mission of the Air Force.

[Nikolai Nikalaevich Sirotinin and his school]. / Nikolai Nikolaevich Sirotinin i ego shkola.

In a brief review of 50-year scientific activity of professor N. N. Sirotinin and his students the authors emphasize that this broad-minded scientist contributed to development of such disciplines as microbiology, pathophysiology, high-altitude, aerospace medicine. However, his main goal was evolution of reactivity and resistance, approaches to perfection of human health and performance. Much attention was paid to effects of low partial oxygen pressure on human and animal body, to hypoxic states of different origin. Methods of hypoxytherapy and hypoxic training are widely used in Russia and abroad. The contribution of academician N. N. Sirotinin to modern pathophysiology, high-altitude and aerospace physiology, internal and sport medicine is highly appreciated in Russia.

A brief history of aerospace dentistry.

In April 2000, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (NAS/IOM) Committee on Space Medicine held a workshop under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to explore "innovative terrestrial medical care." There was also a NAS/IOM panel held on "Space Dentistry: Maintaining Astronauts' Oral Health on Long Missions." Air Force Dental Officer Col. Shannon E. Mills chaired the dental committee. Many questions were raised but few answers were available. Prevention was emphasized with the hope that within twenty to thirty years there may be a number of astronaut candidates with no existing dental restorations and with optimum oral health. However, there remains the concern that trauma to teeth could occur within the confines of a zero gravity space capsule as crew members carry out their daily responsibilities. The possibility is evident considering the duration of a space flight to Mars and back could require up to three years. The dental concerns of a space mission are only a small part of a much larger team effort, however, it is one not to be overlooked. An historical review of dentistry's involvement with America's flight and space programs of the 20th Century would be prudent. Many of same questions asked today were addressed in the early days of aviation dentistry as it transitioned into aerospace dentistry. Any past research and experiences would help serve as a foundation to build upon.

A brief history of U.S. Air Force prosthodontics.

This article is a brief overview of the evolution of the U.S. Air Force Dental Service with special emphasis on the simultaneous development of the specialty of prosthodontics within the Dental Service. Of special note is a review of the outstanding Air Force Training programs and Area Dental Laboratory system.

The history and importance of aeronautic dentistry.

Current projected missions to Mars will require 18 to 24 months of exposure to microgravity conditions, which might have serious effects on human physiology, including that of the oral cavity. Very few studies have been published on the effect of microgravity on the oral cavity, although it has been reported that microgravity increases the prevalence of periodontitis, dental caries, bone loss and fracture in the jaw bone, pain and numbness in teeth and oral cavity tissue, salivary duct stones, and oral cancer. Aeronautic dentistry is a new field, so further study of the effects of microgravity are required. In this article, we review the role of aeronautic dentistry in space missions and offer our recommendations for the future growth of this field.

Milestones of space medicine development in Russia (establishment and evolution of the Institute of Biomedical Problems).

This paper describes the history of the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IMBP): its birth and development. IMBP's directors were: Andrei V. Libedinsky (1963-1965), Vasily V. Parin (1965-1967), Oleg G. Gazenko (1968-1988), and Anatoly I. Grigoriev (1988 to the present). Most of the early employees of IMBP came from the USSR Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine and the USSR Ministry of Health Institute of Biophysics. The major goals of IMBP were: development of a system of medical monitoring and support of long-duration space missions, selection and training of civilian crew members, bioengineering testing of flight equipment, and development of life support system concepts and requirements. The paper presents major results of the above research activities.