The first known dentist was an Egyptian named Hesi-Re (3000 B.C.). He was the chief toothist to
the Pharaohs. He was also a physician, indicating an association between medicine and dentistry. In
the 5th century B.C. Herodatus, a historian, described the medical art in Egypt: "The art of medicine
is distributed thus: Each physician is a physician of one disease and no more; and the whole country
is full of physicians, for some profess themselves to be physicians of the eyes, others of the head,
others of the teeth, others of affections of the stomach, and others of more obscure ailments".
Dentistry today is somewhat specialized. The eight specialities are as follows:
1. 1901 Orthodontics
2. 1918 Oral Surgery
3. 1918 Periodontics
4. 1918 Prosthodontics
5. 1927 Pedodontics
6. 1937 Public Health
7. 1946 Oral Pathology
8. 1963 Endodontics
The first evidence of a surgical operation was found in Egypt. A mandible with
two perforations just below the root of the first molar indicated the establishment
of drainage of an abscessed tooth. The approximate date is 2750 B.C.
The splinting of teeth also was practiced by Egyptians; evidence by a specimen
from Cizeh, 2500 B.C. It shows two molars fastened with heavy gold wire.
The Chinese were known to have treated dental ills with knife, cautery, and
acupuncture, a technique whereby they punctured different areas of the body
with a needle. There is no evidence of mechanical dentistry at that time, 2700
B.C., however. Marco Polo stated that the Chinese did cover teeth with thin gold
leafs only as decorations, 1280 A.D. The earliest practice of the prosthetic arts was among the
ancient Phoenicians circa 500 B.C. Hammarabi, ruler of all lower Meso-potamia (1760 B.C.),
established a state controlled economy in which fees charged by physicians were
set. His low code contained two paragraphs dealing with teeth:
"If a person knocks out the teeth of an equal, his teeth shall be knocked out."
"If he knocks out the tooth of a freed slave, he shall pay one third of a mine."
Teeth were knocked out as a form of punishment among these early people.
the Pharaohs. He was also a physician, indicating an association between medicine and dentistry. In
the 5th century B.C. Herodatus, a historian, described the medical art in Egypt: "The art of medicine
is distributed thus: Each physician is a physician of one disease and no more; and the whole country
is full of physicians, for some profess themselves to be physicians of the eyes, others of the head,
others of the teeth, others of affections of the stomach, and others of more obscure ailments".
Dentistry today is somewhat specialized. The eight specialities are as follows:
1. 1901 Orthodontics
2. 1918 Oral Surgery
3. 1918 Periodontics
4. 1918 Prosthodontics
5. 1927 Pedodontics
6. 1937 Public Health
7. 1946 Oral Pathology
8. 1963 Endodontics
The first evidence of a surgical operation was found in Egypt. A mandible with
two perforations just below the root of the first molar indicated the establishment
of drainage of an abscessed tooth. The approximate date is 2750 B.C.
The splinting of teeth also was practiced by Egyptians; evidence by a specimen
from Cizeh, 2500 B.C. It shows two molars fastened with heavy gold wire.
The Chinese were known to have treated dental ills with knife, cautery, and
acupuncture, a technique whereby they punctured different areas of the body
with a needle. There is no evidence of mechanical dentistry at that time, 2700
B.C., however. Marco Polo stated that the Chinese did cover teeth with thin gold
leafs only as decorations, 1280 A.D. The earliest practice of the prosthetic arts was among the
ancient Phoenicians circa 500 B.C. Hammarabi, ruler of all lower Meso-potamia (1760 B.C.),
established a state controlled economy in which fees charged by physicians were
set. His low code contained two paragraphs dealing with teeth:
"If a person knocks out the teeth of an equal, his teeth shall be knocked out."
"If he knocks out the tooth of a freed slave, he shall pay one third of a mine."
Teeth were knocked out as a form of punishment among these early people.
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