Did you know that the earliest traces of dentistry can be found all the way back in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome? Fortunately, caring for our teeth and gums has come a long way since those days! As oral health techniques improved and different materials were utilized, an incredibly important advancement was made: pediatric dentistry. It wasn’t until the early 1900s when experts began to develop specialized dental care for kids to address their unique oral health needs. Since then, pediatric dentistry has evolved quite a bit. Read on as we go over a quick recap of the history of pediatric dentistry and why it matters for your little one today.
Baby Steps Towards Children’s Dental Care
In the past, children simply saw the same dentist their parents did. That is…. If they went to the dentist at all! In 1909, a dentist named Dr. Minnie Evangeline Jordon opened the very first dental practice designed to treat kids only. Thanks to her experience, research, and dedication to the well-being of children, Dr. Jordon founded the field of pediatric dentistry and contributed major developments to it. She presented lectures, wrote papers, and even published the first pediatric dentistry textbook! Thanks to her hard work, specialized children’s dental care took its first steps.
National Recognition of Pediatric Dentistry
Thanks to Dr. Jordon’s outstanding work, the American Dental Association officially recognized pediatric dentistry as its own field in the 1940s. Once pediatric dentistry was endorsed by such a well-known and respected organization, it was able to gain national recognition. In fact, there was a 50% increase in kids visiting the dentist annually! Just a decade later, the Pediatric Dentistry Training Program was founded to train dentists on how to help children achieve and maintain optimal oral health.
Children’s Oral Healthcare at the Turn of the 20th Century
The next milestone for pediatric dentistry happened in the late 1900s. This is when the Secretary of Health and Human Services published a national report outlining the importance of children’s oral health. Across the nation, parents learned all about how unhealthy teeth in children could negatively impact their lives and development, how good oral health early in life can lead to lasting improvements in quality of life, and the basics of taking care of those precious little smiles. At the same time, the American Dental Association began to develop more best practices regarding the dental products and techniques children should use. This was also when they officially began to recommend that children get their first dental checkup by their first birthday.
The Specialty Care Your Child Can Receive Today
Nowadays, there’s more information than ever before on identifying and addressing the unique oral healthcare needs of children. Your pediatric dentist has specialized training in a wide variety of topics that covers everything from how children’s dentistry works differently than general dentistry to how to help kids feel relaxed and unafraid in the dental chair. Thanks to the history of pediatric dentistry, your little one can get the specialized dental care they deserve!
About the Practice
Our team here at Simply Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Clinton truly believes that your little one deserves the best care possible. That’s why our team of highly trained experts offers a variety of specialized services in our calming office atmosphere with our friendly staff. Not only will we work diligently to ensure your child gets the dental treatments they need, but we are dedicated to coming alongside parents and teaching them about taking care of those precious smiles at home. To learn more, we can be contacted online or at (978) 612-6222.