Dental history

We can help you with a wide variety of resources:

For our complete collection browse the library catalogue, or contact us on 020 7563 4545 or email library@bda.org for more information.

BDA Library Historical Preservation Fund

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​The library has had a historical collection of books and journals since it was opened in 1920. It requires regular conservation to preserve it for future generations. Please help us to continue to educate future generations on where the dental profession has come from and how it continues to develop.

Ontario Dental Association celebrations

The Ontario Dental Association is 150 years old this year and has set up a historical website to highlight some of its milestones.

The Canadian Crawford Dental Collection can now be viewed online with images.

British Pathé

Have a look at their collection of historic dental films.

Forceps through the ages

The French Musée Virtuel de l'Art Dentaire site contains a number of web pages related to dental instruments.

These include a long and well illustrated section on dental forceps.

One hundred years of dentistry in Sri Lanka

Authors Dr Hilary Cooray and Dr Dileep De Silva have produced a lavishly illustrated "coffee table book".

It covers all aspects of the Sri Lankan dental profession, highlighting all its important landmarks.

Email library@bda.org to borrow this book

Read more about it or reserve it.

Anatolian dentistry 

​ Dentistry in the Anatolian civilizations by Professor Dr İlter Uzel is a lavishly illustrated textbook. Written in both Turkish and English it starts from the earliest times with a chapter on paleostomatology right up to the modern day.   It includes such gems as the first denture found in Anatolia, the childhood notebook of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and Abdulhamid's gold prosthesis.  Email library@bda.org to borrow this book   Reserve it

Smile stealers 

​ This is the third and final book in a series from the Wellcome Collection that began with The sick rose.   It covers dentistry from the Bronze Age up to the present day with a dazzling array of illustrations. Reviewed in DHM 2017; 11 (1): 12    Email library@bda.org to borrow this book   Read more about it or reserve it.

Saint Apollonia - Croatian iconography

Saint Apollonia in churches of the Poreč and Pula diocese by Goran Knežević takes the reader on a highly illustrated journey through the Istrian region of Croatia to discover the saint in all her forms.   She is portrayed as a wooden statue, in frescos and numerous paintings in churches of the region invariably carrying her pincers and tooth.   Read an article on the subject by the same author.   Email library@bda.org to borrow this book   Read more about this book and reserve it.

Education through the centuries

The Proceedings of a Symposium held by the Henry Noble History of Dentistry Research Group at Easterbrook  Hall, Crichton Campus, Dumfries in October 2011 have just been published.   The topic covered was, Apprenticeship to life long learning: dental education through the centuries.   View a list of papers included in the book.   Email library@bda.org to borrow this book   Read more about this book and reserve it.

 
 For further insights into dental history visit the BDA Dental Museum.