Professional dentistry's road to autonomy.

Throughout recorded history the dental ills of mankind have been treated by medical specialists particularly associated with surgery. However, deep-rooted cultural tradition relegated surgeons and those engaged in the dental art to a class deemed socially, intellectually and economically inferior to that of the physician, causing widespread neglect of dentistry until the 16th century. Organizational developments and advances in the technology of medicine and surgery during the next two centuries in Europe engendered the emergence of dentistry from a virtual trade to a recognized specialty of medicine, setting the stage for its phenomenal growth in 19th century America. Perceiving the common need, far-seeing and dedicated representatives of dentistry organized, collected available literature, instituted an unprecedented system of dental education, eliminated the untutored and untrained practitioner, and left the heritage of an independent and honored self-governing health care profession.