Open Wide this isn't going to Hurt!

Before 1900, saw a few developments in dentistry.  1894, saw the first dental X-ray being performed by dentist Eugene S. Talbot.  X-ray allowed dentist to get a complete and accurate picture of what is happening with the patient’s teeth.

Lilian Lindsay (1871-1960)
Kathleen Williams (active 1920-1959)
British Dental Association Dental Museum 

1895, Lilian Lindsay, nee Murray qualified as the first female dentist in the United Kingdom.

Lilian Lindsay, born 1871, London.  Having been awarded a scholarship to North London Collegiate School.  Lilian, the daughter of a musician, was advised by the headmistress, Frances Buss, that she would be suited to a career of teaching of deaf children. Lilian disagree and informed that headmistress that she wanted to be a dentist, resulting to her losing her scholarship, and leaving Colleigate School, during 1889.

Lilian secured a three-year apprentice with a local dentist, however, did not feel it was enough to further her career, and enrol to a dental school, having passed the preliminary examinations.  The first refusal was at the National Dental Hospital, Great Portland Street, London.  The headmaster, Henry Weiss, refused Lilian admittance due to fact that she was a woman.  He also gave the advice to Lilian not to apply to the Dental Hospital of London, however, gave the advice to apply to Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School.  Where she was accepted.

By 1895, after studying and having been awarded the Wilson Medal, 1894, Lilian graduated with LDS (Hons), RSC Ed, 1895, and became the first woman in the United Kingdom to qualify as a dentist. 

After qualifying Lilian and her husband, Robert Lindsay, moved to London, and worked until 1905 before moving back to Edinburgh to continue the practice until 1920.

Lilian also became the first woman, to be a member of the British Dental Association.  Lilian, died 1960.  English Heritage placed a blue plaque commemorated Lilian during 2013, at 3 Hungerford Road, London.  

With the new dawn of the new century, dentistry saw new changes during 1901.  One major development was the use of Braces in the aid of teeth straightening.  Braces, history can be wired back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians, followed by the Ancient Greeks and the Romans.  But it during the 19^th century with the developments of the French man Christopher-Francois Delabarre, who created the first modern braces.  His wire “crib” was placed over the teeth, in the effort to keep them there. 

During 1840's, American Dr Edward Maynard made changes to Christopher-Francois Delabarre's braces. 

At the time of the outbreak of the 2^nd Boer War, 1899 – 1902, the state of British teeth of the serving soldiers had been a threat to the British Empire.  Records show that 69,553 recruits trying to join the British Army, of whom 69,553 were rejected due to “loss or decay of many teeth”.  1901 saw the introduction of a toothbrush to a serving solider in the British Army. The dental service was formally established as part of the Royal Army Medical Corps,

Those who feel uncomfortable attending the dentist can feel reassured that 1907, with the introduction of the Novocaine, patented by the German chemist Alfred Einhorn. Prior to Novocaine, cocaine was used for aesthetic. 

1908, the dental service in the British Army was dissolved, and civilian dentist being employed by the Army. By the time of the outbreak of the First World War, August 1914, many of those who volunteered to serve, were rejected on account of owing defective teeth, and those who had signs of any dental treatment would have been accepted for general service.  At first it was a tendency to accept men whatever state of their teeth.

At the time of the Battle of Aisne, 1914, that General Haig, suffered with raging tooth ache.  At time there were no serving dentist and that a French dentist from Paris was sent for.  If was from this, that arrangements were made by the War Office and the British Dental Association, when dentists were appointed.  At first 12 were sent to France during November 1914, with the number rising to 20 by December.  There was still a shortage of dentist to serve, however, by the Military Service Act, 1916, with 463 dentists by December 1916.  By the time of the Armistice, November 1918, there were 849.

One of the notable dentists in Swansea during these changes, was Charles Forbes-Scott, 3 Northampton Place, Swansea, who was in practice since 1878.

1918, is where this article ends and in the next article picks up from 1921, with another major change to dentistry.