Image credit: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/freeman-robert-tanner-1846-1873

The first professionally trained African American dentist in the United States was Robert Tanner Freeman, a child of slaves. Freeman and his classmate, George Franklin Grant, were the first African Americans to enter Harvard Dental School. When Dr. Freeman graduated from dental school in 1869, just four years after the Civil War ended, he and Dr. Grant were the first African American dentists in the United States.

Dr. Freeman opened his own dental practice after he graduated. He was well known in the Washington, DC African American community as a mentor to African American youth interested in the medical field. Dr. Freeman unfortunately passed away in 1873, just four years after receiving his dental degree (1).

Image credit: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/rollins-ida-gray-nelson-1867-1953

Another prominent African American dentist was Ida Gray Nelson Rollins. Ida was born in Clarksville, Tennessee on March 4, 1867. Dr. Rollins’ Caucasian father was not involved in her childhood or education. When Ida’s mother passed away when she was a teenager, she became an orphan.

After her mother died, Dr. Rollins lived with her aunt and her three cousins. As a way to help support her family, Dr. Rollins worked as a seamstress and in the dental office of Johnathon Taft. Her job in Dr. Taft’s dental office was influential in her desire to become a dentist.

Dr. Rollins passed the entrance exam at the University of Michigan and started dental school in October of 1887. Three years later, she became the first African American woman in the United States to graduate with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery.

Like Dr. Freeman, Dr. Rollins opened her own dental office hoping to extend dental treatment and education to individuals in need (2).

It is the work of pioneers like Dr. Freeman and Dr. Rollins that highlight how passion for pursuing dental degrees can triumph adversities.

For more information about dentistry, click here (3).

Sources:

1. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/rollins-ida-gray-nelson-1867-1953
2. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/freeman-robert-tanner-1846-1873
3. http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/be-a-dentist

Post by Dr. Ebony Jordan

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Tooth decay (cavities) is the single most common chronic childhood disease according to the U.S. Surgeon General.  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourages parents and caregivers to “Get it Done in Year One.” Visiting a pediatric dentist by the time the first baby tooth appears enables the child to begin a lifetime of preventive dental care, helping to minimize tooth decay and cavities, 90% of dental decay can actually be prevented. Studies show that dental costs for children who have their first dental visit before age one are 40 percent lower in the first five years than for those who do not see a dentist prior to their first birthday.

Baby teeth are vulnerable to tooth decay from their very first appearance, on average between the ages of six and 12 months. Pediatric dentists specialize in caring for these teeth, imperative for proper speech development and nutrition. The specialized care offered by a pediatric dentist includes strategies for working with children that alleviate fear and anxiety through the use of positive reinforcement and behavior guidance.

Special importance is placed on preventing tooth decay. Studies show that poor oral health care in children can lead to impaired school performance and poor social relationships.

The role of the Pediatric Dentist changes as children enter adolescence. Recognizing the growing importance of appearance and self-image in their patients, Pediatric Dentists work to ensure that adolescents’ dental needs are met. Preventative dental health care is emphasized and when necessary information is provided to adolescents about subjects such as wisdom teeth, tobacco use, sealants and oral piercing.

This February please help the initiative to give kids an early start to lifetime of healthy teeth and gums!

For more information about HealthNet’s Dental Department, call a HealthNet location near you!