Who Was the First Female Dentist & Her Impact on Dentistry
While more women are finding success in the dental field than ever before, there was a time in which all dentists were male. The first women who ventured into dentistry should be noted for their bravery, no doubt, but they should also be celebrated for opening the doors for millions of girls and women who wish to pursue their dreams.
Safco Dental Supply is proud to serve not only as the best online dental supply source, but as a trusted source for information regarding the dental industry as a whole. The Safco team is dedicated to celebrating the very first female dentists and their impact on dentistry.
Early History of Dentistry
Dentistry is in fact one of the oldest medical professions, dating back to 7000 B.C. in the Indus River Valley Civilization – what is now Pakistan, northeast Afghanistan, and northwest India.
Interestingly enough, it wasn’t until the 1700s that dentistry truly became a profession. Pierre Fauchard, known as the Father of Modern Dentistry, published the very first comprehensive dental system in 1723. Fauchard’s system included detailed operative techniques and ideas, as well as basic oral anatomy – and even denture construction.
He was the first person to formally introduce the concept of tooth fillings, rejecting the concept that decay was caused by “tooth worms” and instead identifying sugar acids as the catalyst for decay.
The first dental college – Baltimore College of Dental Surgery – opened in 1840. The American Dental Association (ADA) was founded in 1859.
Gender Roles in Early Medical Professions
In the early days of dentistry, women were forbidden from learning or practicing on patients. As time went on, however, women did start to secure a place in the dental industry by serving as dental assistants.
Despite pushback from patriarchal societies, the 18th and 19th centuries saw a rise in female dental professionals. Women began to act on their interest in dentistry and thus began to carve out a space for themselves in the field.
Emeline Roberts Jones: The First Female to Practice Dentistry
Emeline Roberts Jones is celebrated as the first woman to professionally practice dentistry in the United States.
Early Life and Education
Emeline was born in 1836 in Killingly, Connecticut. In 1854, she was wed to Dr. Daniel Jones at age 18.
Dr. Jones was a practicing dentist, and Emeline’s interest was soon sparked. She began to take an interest in his profession, studying his work closely in order to learn as much as she could.
Overcoming Obstacles in Dental Education
Unfortunately, it was the common societal view that women should not practice dentistry; it was strictly a profession for men. Dr. Jones expressed to his wife that he, too, felt that she had no place in the dental field.
This did not dissuade Emeline; she simply worked harder at her studies, going so far as to fetch discarded extracted teeth and practice carrying out fillings on them with the knowledge she had acquired watching her husband work. She brought the finished products to her husband, who was impressed with her display of talent. Eventually, she persuaded him to allow her to work on some of his patients.
Graduation and Early Career
Though Emeline did not attend dental school, she developed a fine knowledge of dentistry through her work with her husband. They worked together to service patients for the next four years. Throughout these years, Emeline worked to fine-tune her skills and continue learning as much as she could. In 1859, Emeline became a full partner in her husband’s dental practice.
Dr. Jones unfortunately passed away in 1864. Emeline, left widowed with two young children, was fortunate in that she could continue to work to support her family in her husband’s absence. She continued to practice dentistry, and in 1876, she opened her very own dental practice in New Haven, Connecticut. She continued to practice dentistry here until her retirement in 1915.
Her Legacy
In 1912, Emeline was elected to an honorary membership in the Connecticut State Dental Society, and in 1914, she received the same honor from the National Dental Association. She passed away in 1916 at the age of 80. In 1994, she was posthumously inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.
Lucy Hobbs Taylor: The First Female Graduate of Dental School
Lucy Hobbs Taylor is celebrated as the first woman to graduate from dental school.
Early Life and Education
Lucy Hobbs was born in 1833 in Constable, New York, one of ten children in her family. At the age of 12, she took a job as a seamstress to help support her brothers and sisters. After graduating from Franklin Academy, she became a teacher, remaining in this profession for a decade.
Overcoming Obstacles in Dental Education
In 1859, Lucy applied to become a medical student at Eclectic Medical College. She was denied entry due to her gender, but she was permitted to study privately – under the supervision of a professor from the college. Lucy was determined to attend dental school; she applied to another dental program at the Ohio College of Dentistry, but was sadly denied entry once more.
Graduation and Early Career
It was upon this second denial that she decided to simply open her own dental practice in 1861. At this time, a formal education and diploma was not required to practice dentistry. Her practice flourished, and in 1865, she was permitted acceptance to the Iowa State Dental Society. She consequently attended the American Dental Association convention in Chicago as a delegate.
That same year, she was finally permitted to attend the Ohio College of Dental Surgery. She graduated in 1866 with a doctorate in dentistry, officially becoming the world’s first woman to graduate from dental college.
In 1867, Lucy married James M. Taylor, who also became a dentist shortly after. They moved to Kansas, where they opened and managed a successful dental practice together until her husband’s death in 1886. After his passing, Lucy withdrew from practicing dentistry and turned her attention to women’s rights and politics, working as an activist until her death in 1910.
Modern Landscape of Female Dentists
In 2021, the ADA reported that women accounted for 56% of first-year dental students. This is a promising statistic that shows that women are finally claiming their space in the industry and following their dreams, uninhibited by antiquated gender roles.
Statistical Overview of Women in Dentistry Today
While many women still fill the positions of dental assistants and dental hygienists, more and more women are becoming dentists. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the percentage of dental school graduates who are women grew from 46% to 50.6% between 2009 and 2019, and the percentage of female dentists in the workforce grew from 24.1% to 34.5% between 2010 and 2020. These numbers continue to rise annually; something that surely would have made Lucy Hobbs Taylor and Emeline Roberts Jones proud.
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