Famous Dentists in History

You know that a clean, healthy smile is important to your overall health and happiness, but who is credited for giving you that smile? Dr. Erpenbach helps you maintain it, but these famous dentists developed the ideas and dental care that we practice today.

  • John Baker: First dentist to practice in America in 1760.
  • John Greenwood: Responsible for…

You know that a clean, healthy smile is important to your overall health and happiness, but who is credited for giving you that smile? Dr. Erpenbach helps you maintain it, but these famous dentists developed the ideas and dental care that we practice today.

  • John Baker: First dentist to practice in America in 1760.
  • John Greenwood: Responsible for designing George Washington’s famous dentures, carved from hippopotamus tusk. As a bonus, his father, Isaac Greenwood, was the first native-born American dentist.
  • Pierre Fauchard: Considered “The Father of Modern Dentistry,” he wrote the first complete scientific description of dentistry. His work described basic oral anatomy and function, periodontal disease, orthodontics, methods for removing decay and restoring teeth, and replacement of missing teeth.
  • J.N. Farrar: Known as “The Father of Orthodontics,” he designed dental appliances and first suggested using a gentle force at intervals to move and straighten teeth.
  • Emiline Roberts: The first woman dentist in the U.S.
  • William Addis: Created the first toothbrush while he was in jail in the 1770’s. He tied horsehair into tufts and glued them to a small animal bone.
  • Horace Wells: Developed the use of anesthesia and nitrous oxide to relieve pain.
  • Charles Cassidy Bass: Bass is known as the “Father of Preventive Dentistry” because of his emphasis on oral hygiene. He discovered that if people keep their teeth and gums clean, it would protect their teeth from falling out, thereby creating the idea and importance of brushing. He also developed nylon floss as a replacement for silk floss because it was smoother and would not fall apart.
  • Levi Spear Parmly: A dentist from New Orleans in 1815, who told his patients to use a thin silk thread to floss and clean between their teeth.
  • George Green: Patented the first electric dental drill.
  • Eugene Solomon Talbot: First person to use x-rays for orthodontic diagnosis.
  • Zia Chishti: Invented the Invisalign clear braces.
  • Joseph Lister: Performed the first surgery using antiseptic to sterilize his tools and kill bacteria. The antiseptic mouthwash product, Listerine, is named after him.

Dr. Erpenbach will soon be famous in your mind for keeping your mouth healthy. Contact Knoxville Dentist at 865-584-8630 to schedule an appointment.