The Pierre Fauchard Academy is a volunteer-run, non-profit dental organization that was founded by Dr. Elmer S. Best, a dentist from Minnesota in 1936. The objective is the independence from commercial interests in dental research and its publications. Dr. Best endeavored to raise the professional standards. The academy is named after Pierre Fauchard (1678-1761), a French dentist who is considered the "Father of modern dentistry". Fauchard wrote a book entitled Le Chirurgien dentiste, ou Traité des dents, the first dental textbook of modern times. [1]
The statutes of the Pierre Fauchard Academy are based on the objectives of Elmer Best and its focus is on integrity and leadership of dentists. A primary objective at the time of its foundation is to preserve the independence of scientific publications. Goals are to have as Fellows the most outstanding dentists in every country in the world and to select and induct individuals of the highest ethical, moral and professional standards.
The Pierre Fauchard Academy currently consists of more than 5,000 Fellows, who are organized in 120 sections. 55 are located in the United States and 65 in countries of South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Members are dentists who are among the most outstanding leaders in the various fields of dentistry. Fellowship in the academy is by nomination and is designed to honor past accomplishments in field of dentistry and encourage future productivity. Membership must be supported by the section in which the dentist resides. The academy is administered by a board of trustees consisting of five officers and eleven trustees [2] from around the world. Section organization includes a Chairperson and such other officers or committee members as the Section may elect. The office of the academy is located in Rockville (Maryland).
Part of the work of the academy is the historical workup of dentistry. For this purpose, the CVs of the main leaders and researchers of dentistry are presented. [3]
The Pierre Fauchard Academy maintains a "Hall of Fame of Dentistry", in which the principal researcher in the field of dentistry are included. In addition, it gives annual awards, including the Fauchard Gold Medal Award, the Elmer S. Best Memorial Award, the Presidential Award of Excellence, Awards of merit and honorary memberships. [4]
The academy publishes two monthly journals, the Dental World and Dental abstracts. [5]
The Academy maintains the PFA Leadership Foundation, which provides leadership training programs for PFA Fellows. The Oral Health Foundation, which supports projects that are dedicated to the dental research is also associated. [6] [7]
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 of the mouth, most commonly focused on dentition as well as the oral mucosa. Dentistry may also encompass other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint. The practitioner is called a dentist.
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 largest and oldest national dental association and promotes good oral health to the public while representing the dental profession.
Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is the area of dentistry that focuses on dental prostheses. It is one of 12 dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA), Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. The ADA defines it as "the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes."
A number of professional degrees in dentistry are offered by dental schools in various countries around the world.
Chapin Aaron HarrisA.M., MD, D.D.S. was an American physician and dentist and dentistry school founder.
Pierre Fauchard was a French physician, credited as being the "father of modern dentistry". He is widely known for writing the first complete scientific description of dentistry, Le Chirurgien Dentiste, published in 1728. The book described basic oral anatomy and function, signs and symptoms of oral pathology, operative methods for removing decay and restoring teeth, periodontal disease (pyorrhea), orthodontics, replacement of missing teeth, and tooth transplantation.
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry, is the dental school of the University System of Maryland. It was founded as an independent institution, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, in 1840 and was the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree. It is known as the first dental college in the world. It is headquartered at the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. It is the only dental school in Maryland.
Greene Vardiman Black (1836–1915) was one of the founders of modern dentistry in the United States. He is also known as the father of operative dentistry.
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Vijay P. Parashar, BDS, MDS, DDS, is an oral and maxillofacial radiologist working as faculty at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Prior to joining Midwestern University as Associate Professor, Parashar was the Assistant Professor of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences at University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Michigan. Parashar won the 2006 Howard R. Raper and 2012 William H Rollins Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Awards given by American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Parashar received Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Master of Dental Science from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Certification in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal. Parashar is on the scientific editorial board of peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Oral Health and Community, India Dentistry, International Journal of Oral Implantology and Clinical Research, India, and American Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, USA. Parashar's positions with ADEA include,: Chair 2010 – 2011, Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Section, Chair-elect 2009 – 2010, Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Section and Secretary 2008 – 2009, Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Section. Parashar is currently serving on the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Oral Radiology Review Committee; ADEA Council of Faculties; National Board Dental Test Construction Committee and is a CODA Site Visitor.
Hom-Lay Wang (王鴻烈) is a Taiwanese-born periodontist and director of the graduate periodontal program at University of Michigan School of Dentistry.
Nairn Hutchison Fulton Wilson CBE, FRCS England, FRCSI is the Honorary Professor of Dentistry, former Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Dean and Head of King's College London Dental Institute from 2001 until 2012 and Deputy Vice Principal (health) between 2009 and 2012.
Mahesh Verma is an Indian prosthodontist and the Director and Principal of Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences. He is the Vice Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. The Government of India awarded him, in 2014, with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of medicine,
Arthur A. Dugoni was the former dean of the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry at University of the Pacific and a national leader in dentistry and dental education.
Horace Henry Hayden D.D.S. was the first licensed American dentist and dentistry school founder.
Dr. Rafiuddin Ahmed was an Indian dentist, educator and later minister in the West Bengal cabinet, who founded the first dental college of India, Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, later named 'The Calcutta Dental College', where he remained its principal until 1950. He established the Indian Dental Journal in 1925, and played a key role in founding the Bengal Dentist Act in 1939. In 1946, he established The Bengal Dental Association which was then renamed as the Indian Dental Association. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan in 1964.Remembered as the father of modern dentistry in India, in 2016, the Indian Dental Association declared 24 December as National Dentist Day in his honour.
Athena Papas is an American dental science scholar, who as of 2017 was the Johansen Distinguished Professor of Dental Research at Tufts University. She is a co-author of several books on dentistry as well as numerous articles.
John C. Greene was an American dentist and public health administrator. He was a rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the United States under President Carter from 1978 to 1981. He was the Acting Surgeon General from January to May 1981 under Ronald Reagan. He was the highest ranking non-physician public health officer in the history of the U.S. government.
Richard Glenn Shaffer was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and served as the 28th Chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps. He was the first Navy dentist to command a major military medical command.