Celebrating American Dental History

Happy July 4th to you and your family from the staff at Shane McDowell Dentistry! As we all celebrate this holiday with fireworks, BBQ’s, and fun, it is vital that we also remember how far we’ve come in the advancement of dentistry.

If you enjoy history, the American Dental Association, which is celebrating its 154th anniversary this year, has an interesting timeline of its achievements which can be viewed online at http://www.ada.org/adatimeline.aspx. The timeline also provides readers with some exciting facts about the ADA, including:

• The association has more than 400 employees between its headquarters in Chicago and its office in Washington, D.C

• The American Dental Association (ADA) was founded August 1859, at Niagara Falls, N.Y., by 26 dentists representing various dental societies in the United States.

• Since its founding in 1859, there have been 143 association presidents.

• The ADA library is one of the largest dental libraries in the world, housing thousands of books and journal volumes. ADA members can request articles from the ADA Library in electronic format, or consult with experienced dental librarians for information on any dental topic.

One thing that I found most fascinating was that today, the ADA has more than 156,000 dentist members in 53 states and territories, and 545 component dental societies. It is the largest and oldest national dental association in the world.

Every time we turn around, a new discovery is being made in the world of dentistry. It’s wonderful to see how far we have come, and what there is still out there to learn.

For more information on dental health, please visit our website at www.myfortmyersdentist.com and schedule an appointment with me and my staff.

Once again, I hope you and your family have and a safe and happy July 4th!