John Greenwood, dentist to President Washington.

In the practice of dentistry in colonial times, no name shines more brightly than that of John Greenwood, the favorite dentist of President George Washington. But it is more than this alone that brings luster to his name and renown. A study of the advertisements he placed in newspapers in Massachusetts and New York gives us an insight into his treatments and his mode of practice. A newly discovered advertisement adds to our knowledge of this remarkable practitioner.

The Israeli anthem and its dental connection.

In 1892 an article on dentistry among the ancient Israelites appeared in the popular dental journal Items of Interest. It was written by Naphthali Herz Imber, an obscure wandering poet and writer who had traveled through most of the world, but achieved immortality for having written the poem Ha Tikva, or The Hope, which became the national anthem of the State of Israel. However, searches through biographies of Imber show no indication that he had any interest or attachment to dentistry.

The history of local anesthesia.

For hundreds of years, mankind has struggled with the problem of controlling pain during surgical procedures without putting the patient to sleep. In 1884, cocaine was discovered to have local anesthetic properties and soon became widely used in many types of surgery. The many undesirable properties of cocaine led scientists to find a safer alternative. Since then, more effective local anesthetics have been and continue to be developed.

Driven out by Hitler, a dental historian enriches America: the story of Curt Proskauer.

I n 1956, workers in Rome, Italy, digging for the foundation of a building, uncovered an extensively decorated catacomb. The Vatican declared it to be a hitherto unknown Christian cemetery, dating from around the year 300. The discoverers were amazed at the fresco paintings, most of them biblical scenes. But one particular fresco was destined to set the world of medical history on its ear! The scene was interpreted as a surgeon performing an operation, and it was duly reported as such by the New York Times. It took a renowned dental historian, Dr. Curt Proskauer, using logical deduction, to disprove that conclusion. The result was to push back our knowledge of certain medical procedures by a thousand years!

Jonathan Taft: dentistry's great forgotten hero.

One of the greatest figures in the development of the dental profession to the high status it enjoys today is all but forgotten. Jonathan Taft was dean of the second dental school in the world and wrote the most important clinical textbook of his time, one that was reprinted in many editions over a quarter of a century. Later appointed dean of the new University of Michigan Dental School, he instituted innovations in admission requirements and course of study that were copied by all subsequent schools and are the standards adhered to today. The editor of one of the most important dental journals for 44 years, a record unmatched to this day, he set the standards for modern dental periodical literature that have done so much to elevate dentistry that today it stands on a par with medicine as a truly science-based profession. He served dentistry in many capacities: president of the American Dental Association, founder of the National Association of Dental Faculties, and founder of the National Association of Dental Examiners. Over his lifetime, he published almost 200 professional papers and probably attended and lectured at more dental meetings than anyone of his day and since. His memory should be resurrected, and the profession must be made aware of the great debt it owes to this intrepid fighter for a better dental profession.

Jacob Hemet. Dentist to royalty and entrepreneur extraordinaire.

One of the most prominent dentists in late-18th century London was Jacob Hemet, member of a long family of dentists. He was appointed royal dentist to Queen Charlotte, wife of George the Third, and to George's favorite daughter, Amelia, and the Prince of Wales. He advertised widely, both in this country and in several European countries, including his native France. However, what makes him noteworthy is the fact that he was the very first person to patent a dentifrice and the first to use marketing techniques similar to those used by the foremost toothpaste manufacturers of today.

Founders of a profession: the original subscribers to the first dental journal in the world.

A true profession is built upon a tripod: a formal organization, formal professional education, and a formal scientific literature. The United States was the leader in all three. In 1839-40, the American Society of Dental Surgeons was organized, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was established, and the first dental journal in the world, the American Journal of Dental Science, was founded. At that time there were only about three hundred trained and scientific dentists in the entire country; the rest were relatively untrained operators, outright quacks, or charlatans. In 1898, a list of the first subscribers to the first journal was discovered and published by G.V. Black. These initial subscribers may be considered the core group of truly professional American dentists. They became the leaders of the newly born profession of dentistry. Short biographies of some of them are included.

The greatest oral surgeon of the antebellum South. The story of Benjamin A. Rodrigues.

The family of Benjamin A. Rodrigues fled Spain in the late 18th century to escape persecution of Jews by the Inquisition. They settled in Charleston, South Carolina, where young Rodrigues was born. Showing great interest in medicine, he studied with one of the South's leading physicians and then went on to study dentistry with an equally famous dentist. Feeling the need for a more thorough education, he enrolled in the Medical College of South Carolina, from which he was graduated in 1834 with the M.D. degree. But his interests lay in dentistry, and upon his mentor's emigrating to Europe, he took over the practice and became one of the leading dentists not only in South Carolina but in the entire South. He was active in his local and national dental societies and was a participant in their lively discussions. He soon earned a reputation as the leading oral surgeon of the southern states, and in 1850, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery awarded him an honorary D.D.S.

The dental health of President John Adams.

The oral health of George Washington has been widely studied and written about. Not so, however, with our second president, John Adams, whose dental health was apparently poor throughout his life. His pernicious habit of inducing vomiting to treat various bodily ills, coupled with a great love of sweets, led to the loss of his teeth, which he stubbornly refused to replace with dentures. When he was older, this led to his speech being so badly affected, that he could barely be understood.