Remember When: The History of Pediatric Dentistry

When you look back at previous generations and time periods, it’s easy to forget that people then didn’t realize they were writing history. Things are the way they are now because of those who came before you! You may take it for granted that you can take your child to a dentistry specialist in pediatric care and development. Understanding where and how far pediatric dentistry has come can help you appreciate the innovative care the next generation can receive.

How It All Started

Dental care in general has been around for millennia, starting around 5,000 BC, but children were often lumped into the same group as adults when it came to treatment. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that a focus on pediatric dental care became obviously necessary and a priority for advancing civilization.

In 1913, when the first dental hygiene school, the Fones Clinic For Dental Hygienists, opened in Connecticut, students would practice and learn by cleaning children’s teeth, which then proved to reduce cavities in kids. One graduate of the Fones Clinic named Minnie Evangeline Jordon started the country’s first dental practice focused exclusively on kids because she conducted research on food and sugar on children’s teeth and realized just how important this young group is for lifelong dental health.

Birth as a Specialty

In the 1940s, the American Dental Association formally recognized pediatric dentistry as a legitimate specialty within the field. Because of this, more and more families became aware of children’s care, particularly preventive services. After that point, the number of children who visited the dentist annually increased by about 50 percent.

Refinements in Pediatric Dental Care

Only five years later, when seeing the improvements in the lives of Americans who began their smile journeys as kids, the American Dental Association strongly recommended beginning appointments with a pediatric dentist starting about six months after a baby receives their first tooth or by their first birthday. At about the same time, in the late 1990s, the American Secretary of Health and Human Services presented overwhelming research that shows the importance of childhood dental health and the correlation between dental health and overall health.

Now and Moving to the Future

Recognizing the essential role dental health can play in children’s quality of life and confidence, lawmakers have required insurance companies to cover (most often completely) the costs of visiting the dentist at least once per year. Medicaid also includes these benefits to help children and their families afford this essential care. In fact, about 86 percent of children go nowadays!

You may not see it now, but you are part of writing history as well! In the future, your children and grandchildren can look back and hopefully see how things progressed even more over the years, helping them achieve a strong smile for a lifetime and passing healthy habits down to their progeny, too!

About the Practice

Coastal Pediatric Dentistry has served the San Luis Obispo area for many years now, assisting parents and children to learn how to practice healthy dental hygiene for kids at home and regularly in our office. Our board-certified pediatric dentists have children of their own, which means they love being around kids and find great satisfaction in making a difference for the next generation. To schedule a dental checkup and cleanings appointment, please call us at 805-592-2020 or contact us through our website.