Women in dentistry
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There is a long history of women in dentistry.


Timeline


16th century

* Unknown, 16th century: In an early copper engraving by
Lucas Van Leyden Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), also named either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very ac ...
, a traveling dentist can be seen along with a woman acting as his assistant.


18th century

1755: A new law was established to further block women's professional development in the dental field in which they were prohibited to access dental studies. This did not stop women from being dental assistants. Furthermore, this job was more and more democratized in France. Madame Calais: known as Madeleine-Françoise Calais. The practice of dentistry was unrestricted and used by many charlatans before the creation of a college and an academy of surgery in 1743. In 1740, Madeleine-Françoise Calais decided to take the compulsory examination to become a surgeon and practice her profession under her own name. She passed the tests and was unanimously approved. But her right to practice was questioned because, apart from midwives, there were no women who could receive both sexes. But thanks to the argument about midwives helping to give birth to children of both sexes, the public prosecutor was convinced and became favorable to the request. She was officially the 1st woman in France to be declared professional dentist and was able to legally practice dentistry. Madame Rezé: She recorded all the things she was capable of doing and recommended people to use a ‘balm’ that was essential for: “cleanses rotting teeth, gets rid of bad odor, by its detergent and astringent qualities, it solidifies teeth, cures ulcers or small eruptions that affect gums and it dissipates scurvy humor.”


19th century

* 1814: Josephine Serre became the first woman to receive a dentistry degree from the
University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; et, Tartu Ülikool; la, Universitas Tartuensis) is a university in the city of Tartu in Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is the only classical university in the country, and also its biggest ...
. Her daughter Marie-Louis Serre later graduated with a dentistry degree in 1829 from the same university. * 1849:
Polonia Sanz y Ferrer Polonia Sanz y Ferrer (died 1892) was a Spanish dentist, the first qualified woman to practice dentistry in Spain. On 10 April 1849 she was issued a license by the Academy of Medicine and Surgery in Valencia, which was confirmed after an examinat ...
becomes the first woman in Spain to be given a license to practice dentistry by a Spanish university. * 1852:
Amalia Assur Amalia Assur (June 8, 1803 – 1889) was the first female dentist in Sweden. Amalia Assur was born in Stockholm as the daughter of the Jewish dentist Joel Assur (1753–1837), the Dentist of the Royal Family, who has been referred to as one of the ...
became the first female dentist in Sweden; she was given special permission from the Royal Board of Health (''Kongl. Sundhetskollegiets'') to practice independently as a dentist, despite the fact that the profession was not legally opened to women in Sweden before 1861. * 1855:
Emeline Roberts Jones Emeline Roberts Jones (1836–1916) was the first woman to practice dentistry in the United States. She married the dentist Daniel Jones when she was a teenager (at age 18) but she did not become his assistant until 1855. Her husband believed t ...
became the first woman to practice dentistry in the United States. She married the dentist Daniel Jones when she was a teenager, and became his assistant in 1855. * 1866:
Rosalie Fougelberg ''Rosalie'' Ingeborg Karolina Fougelberg (29 December 1841 – 8 May 1911) is known as Sweden's first female dentist after the profession was opened to women. She was the daughter of the dentist of the Royal Court of Sweden, and her father's assist ...
received a royal dispensation from Swedish King
Charles XV Charles XV also Carl (''Carl Ludvig Eugen''); Swedish: ''Karl XV'' and Norwegian: ''Karl IV'' (3 May 1826 – 18 September 1872) was King of Sweden (''Charles XV'') and Norway, there often referred to as Charles IV, from 8 July 1859 until his dea ...
and thus became the first woman in Sweden to officially practice dentistry since the profession had been legally opened to women in Sweden in 1861. * 1866:
Lucy Hobbs Taylor Lucy Hobbs Taylor (March 14, 1833 – October 3, 1910) was an American school teacher and a dentist, known for being the first woman to graduate from dental school ( Ohio College of Dental Surgery in 1866). She was originally denied admittance ...
became the first woman to graduate from a dental college ( Ohio Dental College). * 1869:
Henriette Hirschfeld-Tiburtius Henriette Hirschfeld-Tiburtius (14 February 1834 – 25 August 1911) was the first female dentist in Germany. She was born at Sylt, a small island on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein. However, as there were no dental schools in Germany when s ...
, born in Germany, became the first woman to take a full college course in dentistry, as
Lucy Hobbs Taylor Lucy Hobbs Taylor (March 14, 1833 – October 3, 1910) was an American school teacher and a dentist, known for being the first woman to graduate from dental school ( Ohio College of Dental Surgery in 1866). She was originally denied admittance ...
received credit for her time in dental practice before attending dental college. She graduated from the
Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery The Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery (sometimes referred to informally as the Pennsylvania Dental College) was founded in 1856 in Philadelphia and was the second oldest operating school of dentistry in the United States by the time of its clos ...
in 1869. She was the first female dentist in Germany. * 1874: Fanny A. Rambarger became the second American woman to earn the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1874, when she graduated from the
Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery The Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery (sometimes referred to informally as the Pennsylvania Dental College) was founded in 1856 in Philadelphia and was the second oldest operating school of dentistry in the United States by the time of its clos ...
. She worked in Philadelphia and limited her practice to women and children only. * 1881:
Margaret Caro Margaret Caro (17 December 1848 – 19 May 1938) was a New Zealand dentist, social reformer, lecturer, vegetarian and writer. In 1881 she was the first woman to be listed on the Dentists' Register of New Zealand. Caro was born in Richmond, Nels ...
became the first woman to be listed on the Dentists' Register of New Zealand. * 1886: Margarita Chorné y Salazar became the first female dentist in Mexico. * 1888: Nicoline Møller became the first female dentist in Denmark.Inger Dübeck: Kvinders retlige stilling. I Den Store Danske. Hentet 7. october 2015 * 1890: Ida Rollins became the first African-American woman to earn a dental degree in the United States, which she earned from the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
. * 1892: The Women's Dental Association of the U.S. was founded in 1892 by Mary Stillwell-Kuesel with 12 charter members. * 1893:
Caroline Louise Josephine Wells Caroline Louise Josephine Wells (August 1856 – 17 March 1939) was the first professionally qualified female dentist in Ontario, Canada. She was also the first person to provide dental services in mental hospitals in Ontario, and towards the end o ...
became the first woman to graduate from the
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) is the regulatory college for dentists in the province of Ontario, Canada. The college was incorporated on March 4, 1868, when royal assent was granted to ''An Act Respecting Dentistry'' in ...
, which made her the first Canadian woman to graduate from any dental school. * 1895:
Lilian Lindsay Lilian Lindsay, CBE, Society of Antiquaries of London, FSA (née Murray) (24 July 1871 – 31 January 1960) was a dentist, dental historian, librarian and author who became the first qualified female dentist in Britain and the first female presi ...
became the first licensed female dentist in Britain. * 1898:
Emma Gaudreau Casgrain Emma Gaudreau Casgrain (2 June 1861, in Montmagny, Quebec – 1934) was the first woman to be licensed as a dentist in Canada. Biography Gaudreau, born in Montmagny, studied with the Ursulines. In 1879, she married Henri-Edmond Casgrain (1846-1914 ...
became the first licensed female dentist in Canada.


20th century

* 1904-1905:
Faith Sai So Leong Faith Sai So Leong (1880-1929), also called Sai So Yeong, was the first Chinese American woman to graduate from a school of dentistry and become a dentist in the United States. Life Born in China, and adopted as Sai So Yeong by Mrs. E J Nicker ...
, also called Sai So Yeong, became the first Chinese-American woman to graduate from a school of dentistry and become a dentist in the United States. In 1904 she became the first woman of any race to graduate from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry). In 1905 she was awarded the Doctor of Dental Surgery from that school, and after a trial of the State Board of Dental Examiners, which delayed the awarding of licenses, she was granted a dental license in August 1905. * 1907: Frances Dorothy Gray became Australia’s first female Bachelor of Dental Science graduate; she graduated from the Australian College of Dentistry,
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
, in 1907. *1907: Mathilde Athenas was the first female dentist to graduate in
Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
. * 1909:
Minnie Evangeline Jordon Minnie Evangeline Jordon (June 22, 1865 – October 10, 1952) was an American dentist, and the first dentist in the United States to specialize in pediatric dentistry. Early life Minnie Evangeline Jordon was born in Fulton County, Illinois, the d ...
established the first dental practice in the United States devoted only to pediatric patients. * 1916:
Gillette Hayden Gillette Hayden (1880-1929) was a pioneering dentist and periodontist in the early 20th century.Gillette Hayden, Nationally Acclaimed Woman Dentist, Dies, The Columbus Dispatch, March 27, 1929 page 1 She was a founder of the American Academy of ...
served as the first female president of the
American Academy of Periodontology The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the non-profit membership association for periodontists-dental professionals specializing in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the te ...
. * 1920: Maude Tanner became the first recorded female delegate to the
American Dental Association The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's ...
. * 1921: During the annual meeting of the
American Dental Association The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's ...
(ADA), 12 female dentists met in Milwaukee and formed the Federation of American Women Dentists, now known as the
American Association of Women Dentists American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
(AAWD). Their first president was
Minnie Evangeline Jordon Minnie Evangeline Jordon (June 22, 1865 – October 10, 1952) was an American dentist, and the first dentist in the United States to specialize in pediatric dentistry. Early life Minnie Evangeline Jordon was born in Fulton County, Illinois, the d ...
. * 1923: Anita Martin became the first woman inducted into the American dental honor society
Omicron Kappa Upsilon Omicron Kappa Upsilon () is a national honorary society serving the field of dentistry. History The Society originated with the 1914 graduating class of the dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. The idea for the fraternity came from ...
. * 1925:
Minnie Evangeline Jordon Minnie Evangeline Jordon (June 22, 1865 – October 10, 1952) was an American dentist, and the first dentist in the United States to specialize in pediatric dentistry. Early life Minnie Evangeline Jordon was born in Fulton County, Illinois, the d ...
published the first textbook on
pedodontics Pediatric dentistry (formerly pedodontics in American English or paedodontics in Commonwealth English) is the branch of dentistry dealing with children from birth through adolescence. The specialty of pediatric dentistry is recognized by the Ame ...
, titled ''Operative Dentistry for Children''. * 1946: Lilian Lindsay became the first female president of 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 ...
. * 1951: Helen E. Myers, a 1941 graduate of
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...
, was commissioned as the U.S.
Army Dental Corps An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
' first female dental officer in 1951. *1961: Etelvina González Martínez was the first woman to graduate from the School of Medicine of the Medical Sciences Campus of the
University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico ( es, Universidad de Puerto Rico, UPR) is the main public university system in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a government-owned corporation with 11 campuses and approximately 58,000 students and 5,3 ...
. * 1965:
Badri Teymourtash Badri Teymourtash ( fa, بدری تیمورتاش) (1908–1995) (1287-1374 S.H) was the first female dentist in Iran,http://static1.squarespace.com/static/56cb5012c6fc08547b2b754f/t/574df20e3c44d82a049de343/1464726038010/ExemplaryWomenFromIran.pd ...
and Amir Esmael Sondoozi founded Mashhad dental school in 1965 and she became the first female dean of a dental school in 1967.Teymourtash was the first female dentist in Iran. *1965: Fatima Nazzal became the first female dentist in
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
upon settling in
Ramallah Ramallah ( , ; ar, رام الله, , God's Height) is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank that serves as the ''de facto'' administrative capital of the State of Palestine. It is situated on the Judaean Mountains, north of Jerusale ...
. * 1975: On July 1, 1975,
Jeanne Sinkford Jeanne Craig Sinkford (born 1933) is an American dentist and academic administrator. She was the first female dean of an American dental school. She is a senior scholar in residence at the American Dental Education Association and a professor and d ...
became the first female dean of an American dental school when she was appointed the dean of
Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...
, School of Dentistry. * 1975:
Jessica Rickert Jessica Ann Rickert became the first female American Indian dentist in America upon graduating with a DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1975. She was one of only six women in a class of 140 students. She is a member of t ...
became the first female American Indian dentist in America upon graduating from the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
School of Dentistry in 1975. She was a member of the
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation ( pot, Mshkodéniwek, formerly the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians) is a federally recognized tribe of Neshnabé (Potawatomi people), headquartered near Mayetta, Kansas. History The ''Mshkodésik'' ("People of t ...
, and a direct descendant of the Indian chief Wahbememe (Whitepigeon). * 1977: The American Association of Dental Schools (founded in 1923 and renamed the
American Dental Education Association The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is a non-profit organization that works to further the education of dental professionals and the advancement of academic dental programs in Canada and the United States. Founded in 1923 as the Amer ...
in 2000) had Nancy Goorey as its first female president in 1977. * 1988: The
American Student Dental Association The American Student Dental Association (ASDA) is a national student-run organization that is concerned with the rights, interests, and welfare of dental students. It has the aim of introducing students to lifelong involvement in organized dentist ...
elected its first female president, N. Gail McLaurin of the Medical University of South Carolina. * 1991: Geraldine Morrow became the first female president of the
American Dental Association The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's ...
. * 1997: Hazel J. Harper became the first female president of the
merican ''Merican'' is an EP by the American punk rock band the Descendents, released February 10, 2004. It was the band's first release for Fat Wreck Chords and served as a pre-release to their sixth studio album ''Cool to Be You'', released the follow ...
National Dental Association The National Dental Association (NDA) is a professional association of minority dentists based in Washington, D.C., and operating in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Formed in 1913, it is the largest such association in the world. Amo ...
.


21st century

* 2001: Marjorie Jeffcoat became the first female editor of
The Journal of the American Dental Association The ''Journal of the American Dental Association'' is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal on dentistry published by the American Dental Association. It is freely available to the public after a one-year embargo. The journal was first publis ...
. * 2003: Rear Admiral
Carol I. Turner Rear Admiral Carol Irene Baker Turner (born 1947) is a retired United States Navy officer who served as the first female chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps from 2003 to 2007. She also served as the commanding officer of the National Nava ...
became the first female Chief of the U.S.
Navy Dental Corps The Dental Corps of the United States Navy consists of naval officers who have a doctorate in either dental surgery (DDS) or dental medicine (DMD) and who practice dentistry for Sailors and Marines to ensure optimal oral health. The U.S. Navy De ...
. * 2004: Sandra Madison, of Asheville, North Carolina, was elected as the first female president of the
American Association of Endodontists The American Association of Endodontists, or AAE, is a not-for-profit organization of endodontists and other professionals with an interest in endodontics founded in 1943. The current Board of Directors is published on the Association'website H ...
. *2004: Nikki Rubaine-Connell became the first local female to practice dentistry in the
British Virgin Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = Territorial song , song = "Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands" , image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg , map_caption = , mapsize = 290px , image_map2 = Brit ...
after having studied abroad. * 2005: Michele Aerden became the first female president of the
FDI World Dental Federation FDI World Dental Federation, often shortened to FDI (french: Fédération Dentaire Internationale), is the world's leading organization representing the dental profession. It serves as the principal representative body for over one million dent ...
. * 2007: Laura Kelly became the first female president of the
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), founded in December 1984 by Jack Kammer and Jeff Morley of San Francisco, is the world's largest organization for cosmetic dental professionals. As of 2001, the Academy had membership from 40 di ...
. * 2008: Beverly Largent, a pediatric dentist from Paducah, Kentucky, became the first female president of the
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
. * 2008: Valerie Murrah became the first female president of the
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
. * 2008: Paula Jones became the first female president of the
Academy of General Dentistry The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of general dentists from Canada and the United States. History and mission The academy was incorporated on August 2, 1952. Paula Jones became its first female president in 200 ...
. * 2008: Deborah Stymiest of Fredericton was elected as the first female president of the
Canadian Dental Association The Canadian Dental Association (CDA; French: ''Association dentaire canadienne'') is a non-profit professional association representing Canada's 18,000 dentists. Headquartered in Canada's capital city Ottawa, the CDA serves its members and the p ...
. * 2008: Susan Bordenave-Bishop became the first female president of the
Academy of Dentistry International An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
. * 2009: Kathleen T. O'Loughlin, of Medford, Massachusetts, became the first female executive director of the
American Dental Association The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's ...
. * 2011: Angella Tahani, the first qualified female dentist from
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
,
Tikopia Tikopia is a high island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It forms a part of the Melanesian nation state of Solomon Islands but is culturally Polynesian. The first Europeans arrived on 22 April 1606 as part of the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fer ...
, began serving as a Chief Dental Officer. * 2013: Gayle Glenn was elected as the first female president of the
American Association of Orthodontists Founded in 1900, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is the world's oldest and largest dental specialty organization. It represents nearly 19,000 orthodontist members throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. All orthodontists are ...
. *2019: Charlecia Moore is considered the first local female to work as a dentist in the
Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
.


See also

*
List of first women dentists by country This is a list of the first qualified female dentist to practice in each country, where that is known. Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania See also * List of first female pharmacists by country * List of first female physicians by c ...
*
Women in dentistry in the United States There is a long history of women in dentistry in the United States. Timeline 19th century *1855: Emeline Roberts Jones became the first woman to practice dentistry in the United States. She married the dentist Daniel Jones when she was a teenage ...


References

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Further reading

* ''100 Years of Women in the Dental Profession in the UK, 1918-2018'', by Janine Brooks. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019. * Dentistry-related lists
dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...