{"id":313,"date":"2025-03-14T18:07:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T18:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=313"},"modified":"2025-05-06T19:22:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T19:22:32","slug":"pediatric-dentistry-its-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsdentistry.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/14\/pediatric-dentistry-its-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel Through Time: A History of Pediatric Dentistry"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Dentist<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As you consider your options for whom your child should see when it comes to their oral health, you may wonder if a pediatric dentist is best. After all, many professionals see children and adults. However, if you want a more specialized approach \u2013 one that focuses on the health of young smiles and how they grow and develop \u2013 keep reading to learn more about the history of pediatric dentistry<\/a> and why you won\u2019t regret choosing one for your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Pediatric Dentistry: The Early Days<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While general dentistry dates back thousands of years, the focus on children didn\u2019t become clear until the early 1900s. With the opening of the first oral hygiene school \u2013 Fones Clinic For Dental Hygienists \u2013 female students were instructed to clean children\u2019s teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was around this same time that Minnie Evangeline Jordon, a dental assistant in Los Angeles, CA, opened a kids-only dental practice. Her decision to pursue this endeavor stemmed from a project she completed while in college that focused on the effects of sugar and other various foods on young teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As decades passed, the American Dental Association officially recognized pediatric dentistry as a specialty in the 1940s. As a result, additional awareness was made available about children\u2019s oral health, eventually causing an uptick in the number of children visiting the dentist each year (about 50%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 10 years later, The Pediatric Dentistry Training Program was founded so that interested dentists could receive advanced training on how to care for children\u2019s teeth and gums, as well as those considered intellectually and physically disabled (special needs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pediatric Dentistry: Nearing the 21st Century<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By the 1990s, the American population was made aware of how important it was to ensure the health of children\u2019s smiles because of how it closely connects with their overall well-being. Eventually, the American Dental Association approved the concept that comprehensive oral healthcare was necessary for all children, and it was to begin before they reached the age of one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Society today has a clearer understanding of just how impactful starting good oral habits at an early age can be. With countless professionals pursuing pediatric dentistry as their preferred specialization, more children of all socio-economic backgrounds can receive essential care. In fact, the 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA) made it a requirement that, no matter the insurance status of children, they can receive necessary dental treatment to improve their oral and overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why See a Pediatric Dentist?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you want your child to enjoy a smile that is healthy for a lifetime, here are a few reasons to choose a pediatric dentist as opposed to any other:<\/p>\n\n\n\n