The introduction of the paraprofessional into the ranks of healers in dentistry proved a tremendous step forward in countering the effects of dental disease. To Dr. Alfred Civilion Fones, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, goes the credit for raising the profession of dental hygiene to the important position it now occupies.
While attending a meeting of the Northeastern Dental Society in 1899, Fones heard a lecture by Dr. D. D. Smith of Philadelphia on periodic oral prophylaxis. Impressed, Fones returned home and for five years used Smith's techniques. In 1905 he trained his office assistant to do prophylactic work for the children in his practice, and she thus became the first dental hygienist in the world.
Fones later proposed the idea of a training school for dental hygienists, a term he coined. Despite strong opposition from the dental profession, he opened the Fones Clinic for Dental Hygienists in November 1913, in his garage.
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Professional dentistry rests upon a threefold base: education, organization and literature. During the years 1839 and 1840 in the United States the tripod of dental professionalism was established for the very first time anywhere, and dentistry was elevated to the high level of excellence at which it has since remained. Although about a dozen dentists contributed to this remarkable advance, two in particular stand above all the others, Horace H. Hayden and Chapin A. Harris.
March 6, 1840 - the first dental college in the world, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, was chartered by the state of Maryland, due to the efforts of Hayden and Harris.
Hayden and Harris collaborated to form the first nationwide association of dentists. The conception was, without question, Hayden's.
1839 - Chapin Harris, who long had foreseen the need for an authoritative dental periodical, was instrumental in founding the first in the world, the American Journal fo Dental Science (AJDS).
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I was having a conversation with my husband last night in regards to tobacco because he runs the Rebel II anti-tobacco club at the school where he teaches. Yesterday the kids had to write what comes to mind when they hear the word tobacco. I must say, some of the answers were quite creative and yet others were very intelligent. I was surprised at how many of the kids, seeing as they are only in middle school, mentioned the effects of tobacco on your oral health. Here are some of the effects tobacco can have on your mouth:
- Oral cancer
- Bad breath or halitosis
- Black hairy tongue
- Gum recession - especially with chewing tobacco, the gums recede away from where you place the tobacco, exposing the roots
- Delayed healing of the gums
- Increased severity of periodontal disease
- Nicotinic stomatitis (smoker's palate) - inflammation of salivary gland openings on the roof of the mouth
- Staining
- Tar deposits remaining on the teeth
Here are a couple of links where you will find more information regarding tobacco.
www.smokefree.gov/index.aspwww.tobaccofreekids.org/index.php
February was Children's Dental Health Month. Many of our hygienists visited local classrooms in order to educate the children on the importance of proper oral health care. Some of the topics they covered were how to properly brush your teeth, how to floss correctly, how often you should floss and brush your teeth, how often you should visit your hygienist and dentist, at what age you should begin seeing your hygienist and dentist. The kids and the hygienists had a great time. While there the hygienists handed out coloring books to each child depicting trips to the dentist. To learn more about children's dental care please visit our website:
www.delawaresmiles.com and click on Family Dentistry.
Do you remember the first time you walked into the dentist's office? Do you remember how old you were? I do. I was a little over 3 years old and the office was in Scarsdale, NY in a shopping center. The dentist was my "Uncle Mel". Now he wasn't really my uncle but he was my uncle Bruce's best friend. He was a pediatric dentist. I remember the waiting area with all the toys and never really wanting to leave that area. I remember having to sit in the chair while "uncle Mel" examined my teeth and then while a very nice lady cleaned them. I thought this is really not so bad. Then came the flouride. She placed these big trays in my mouth filled with flavored flouride and said to try not to gag. This was when I realized that it was impossible for me not to gag. After this part was over I was given a toy. Do you know, that even though those flouride trays scared me tremendously, I still loved going to the dentist. Getting that new toy was all I needed to brave the flouride trays.
Now all of these years later I find myself working for the largest Dental Group Delaware houses. I watch how our dentists and hygienists interact with the children here and see how excited the kids are to come in for their visits. It makes me recal all of those great trips to "uncle Mel" when I was a kid.
Dr. McSpadden is a native of Wilmington who graduated from Friends School in 1967. After working as a musician for 5 years, he graduated with honors from the University of Delaware in 1976, from the state University of Buffalo School of Dentistry in 1980 and completed an internship at Wilmington Hospital in 1981 .He has maintained a private practice in Greenville and then on Rockland Road since that time. Dr. McSpadden received a Fellowship from The Academy of General Dentistry in 1985 and became a Master in the Academy in 2005. He is a member of the Delaware State Dental Society, the American Dental Association and is past President of the Delaware State Dental Board. Dr. McSpadden is also a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and the L.D.Pankey Institute for Advanced Restorative Dentistry. As a member of The Crown Council, Dr. McSpadden has been involved with the National Smiles for Life Foundation which has raised over $20 million for children's charities. Dr. McSpadden and his staff have raised almost $100,000 in Delaware for this cause.
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