Spring is a time of looking forward but the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is taking you on a journey back in time to see just how advanced dentistry has become.
Oral Health Month is now underway and in honour of the ODA’s 150th anniversary this year, we put together an incredible website detailing the fascinating and sometimes alarming history of dentistry in Ontario.
Did you know anyone, regardless of training, could call themselves a dentist? Or that it was common for the local blacksmith to yank people’s teeth out? Even toothpaste used to be made with sugar!
You can find all sorts of interesting facts in the evolution of dentistry in Ontario at 150.oda.ca.
ODA President Dr. Jack McLister says, “For the past 150 years, Ontario dentists have been committed to educating the public on oral hygiene and advocating for access to dental care for everyone in the province. Like Canada, dentistry has evolved and progressed tremendously over that time and the ODA and its members had a defining role in shaping the dental care standards we enjoy today.”
About the Ontario Dental Association
The ODA has been the voluntary professional association for dentists in Ontario since 1867. Today, we represent more than 9,000, or nine in 10, dentists across the province. The ODA is Ontario’s primary source of information on oral health and the dental profession. We advocate for accessible and sustainable optimal oral health for all Ontarians by working with health-care professionals, governments, the private sector and the public.