Dentistry has a long and storied history; depending on how you define the field, there have been dentists treating people’s teeth since 5000 B.C.! However, if you’re looking specifically at pediatric dentistry, this wasn’t considered a specialty unto itself until the early 1900s.
If you’re curious about how pediatric dentistry came to be, and when it began to take hold across the country, here’s a brief summary of the history of this field.
Origins of Pediatric Dentistry
While there have been dentists for millennia, it wasn’t until 1913 when American dentist Alfred C. Jones opened the first oral hygiene school: Fones Clinic For Dental Hygienists. Part of the school’s work involved sending people to clean children’s teeth, which created an increased interest in the oral health needs of children.
At the same time, a dental assistant named Minnie Evangeline Jordon opened a first-of-its-kind dental practice specifically for children in Los Angeles, California. There she not only treated children, but performed groundbreaking research on the relationship between children’s diets and their oral health. In a very real sense, she was the mother of pediatric dentistry!
Changing Tides
While dentists like Jordan were doing important work, it wasn’t until the 1940s that pediatric dentistry began to receive broader institutional support. This is when the American Dental Association officially recognized pediatric dentistry as a unique specialty.
This change in focus saw very real changes in the way that kids’ teeth were handled, ultimately leading to a 50% increase in the number of children getting annual dental care.
The Modern Era
The final surge of attention came to pediatric dentistry in the late 1990s, when the Secretary of Health and Human Services issued a national report regarding the connection between oral and overall health. This is also the era when oral healthcare for infants under the age of one came to prominence.
Nowadays, children’s dental care is a part of most people’s employer-sponsored dental plans, and it’s recognized as an integral part of overall healthcare. More than 86% of children visit the dentist on an annual basis, which means that young people now are smiling brighter than ever!
About Our Practice
At Barefield Pediatric Dentistry, we understand that every parent wants the absolute best for their child. That’s why we strive every day to prove to them that we’re the best at what we do. We’ve been serving families across DFW for decades now, and there’s nothing we love more than being able to take stressed-out parents and put them at ease with our obvious competence.
If you have any questions about pediatric dentistry, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (972) 298-7560.