James Smith Turner (27 May 1832 – 22 February 1904) was a Scottish dentist, known for his role in dental surgery regulation.

Life

Born in Edinburgh on 27 May 1832, he was son of Joseph Turner and Catherine Smith his wife; his father, a hatter, was known as a political speaker against the

Corn Laws The Corn Laws were tariffs and other trade restrictions on imported food and corn enforced in the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1846. The word ''corn'' in British English denotes all cereal grains, including wheat, oats and barley. They were ...

. At the age 14 Turner was apprenticed to a dentist Mr. Mien of Edinburgh. He went to London in 1853, in 1857 became a member of the college of dentists, and in August 1863 was admitted Member of the

Royal College of Surgeons of England The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...

. and a licentiate in dental surgery. Turner was appointed assistant dental surgeon to the

Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...

19 July 1864; dental surgeon 16 April 1874; lecturer on dental surgery 2 February 1881, and consulting dental surgeon 22 February 1883. In succession to Robert Hepburn he was lecturer on dental surgery mechanics at the

Royal Dental Hospital The Royal Dental Hospital was a dental hospital in Leicester Square, London, which operated from 1858 until 1985. In 1859, it opened the London School of Dental Surgery, later renamed to the Royal Dental Hospital of London School of Dental Surge ...

from 1871 until 1880, becoming consulting dental surgeon in 1896. He was an examiner on the dental board of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 1886–8. With

John Tomes Sir John Tomes (21 March 1815 – 29 July 1895) was an English dental surgeon. Life The eldest son of John Tomes and Sarah, his wife, daughter of William Baylies of Welford-on-Avon, then in Gloucestershire, he was born at Weston-on-Avon in G ...

and others, Turner worked to converting dentistry into an organised profession. In 1872 he visited the United States to study the conditions of dental practice there, and in 1875 he began work as secretary of the executive council of the Dental Reform Committee. The object of the committee was to obtain an act of parliament to regulate dental practice, with a dentists' register, admittance to and removal from which should be under the supervision of the

General Medical Council The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public" by c ...

. There was much opposition. The

Dentists Act 1878 A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofacial comp ...

was passed by the help of

Sir John Lubbock John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, 4th Baronet, (30 April 183428 May 1913), known as Sir John Lubbock, 4th Baronet from 1865 until 1900, was an English banker, Liberal politician, philanthropist, scientist and polymath. Lubbock worked in his fam ...

, and received the royal assent on 22 July 1878. On 15 August the dental register was opened, John Tomes's name being the first. The

British Dental Association The British Dental Association (BDA) is a registered trade union for dentists in the United Kingdom. Its stated mission is to "promote the interests of members, advance the science, arts and ethics of dentistry and improve the nation's oral he ...

was founded early in 1879, and Turner was for many years the president of its representative board. He also held office at the

Odontological Society of Great Britain The Royal Dental Hospital was a dental hospital in Leicester Square, London, which operated from 1858 until 1985. In 1859, it opened the London School of Dental Surgery, later renamed to the Royal Dental Hospital of London School of Dental Surge ...

from 1873 until 1884, when he was chosen president. Turner died at

Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was histor ...

, 22 February 1904, and was buried at St. George's cemetery, Ealing. A scholarship in practical dental mechanics was established in his memory, awarded by the British Dental Association.

Family

Turner married: # in November 1866 Annie, daughter of Richard Whitbourn of

Godalming Godalming is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers and includes the settleme ...

, by whom he left five sons and three daughters; # in December 1900 Agnes, daughter of the Rev. Henry Ward, M.A.

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, James Smith 1832 births 1904 deaths Scottish dentists 19th-century dentists People in health professions from Edinburgh