ca. 1520
Alexis
Sesuyt le debat de l'home et de la femme; avec une joyeuse medecie pour les dentz
France
Extremely rare small book of three 15th century French poems, one of which is "A Joyful Medicine for the Teeth," the first printed text on dental health, and the first ever reference to dentistry in a printed title.
1525
Tomeo
Opuscula nuper in lucem aedita quorum nomina proxima habentur pagella
Italy
The first printed dental illustration; an explanation of the action of dental forceps using Aristotle's mechanical principles, illustrated with two small woodcuts.
1556 edition Zeen Artzney / Zene Artzney / Artzneybuchein
Germany
The first printed book on dental therapeutics; and one of the earliest printed medical books written in the vernacular. The Zeen Artzney went through more than 13 editions from 1530 to 1576 in various titles, with some editions being the lone title, while in others it is bound with other medical texts as a sammeband.
The H. S. Ayoub Library holds 6 editions:
1563
Eustachi
Libellus de Dentibus
Italy
The first book devoted entirely to tooth anatomy. This copy was owned by Urbain Hemard, the surgeon who in 1582 authored the first book on dentistry in French by copying Eustachi's text.
1593
Trunconi
De custodienda puerorum sanitate. Ante partum, in partu, & post partum: De curandis eorumdem morbis ex Hippocrate, quousque caninos dentes emiserint
Italy
The first printed book to reference dental health for children in the title.
1601
Fabricius ab Aquapendente
De locutione et eius instrumentis
Italy
First book on the organs of human speech and vocalization.
1615
Zucchi
Di Bartolomeo Zucchi da Monza Dolorose Osservationi Sopra I Capelli. Il Capo. La Fronte. Gli Occhi. Il Naso. La Faccia. Le Orecchie. La Bocca. I Denti. La Lingua...Di Giesu Christo
Italy
Absolute rarity. This contraversial little book is the first, and only, printed text to describe in detail the post mortem condition of Christ's body including, his mouth, teeth and tongue.
1682
Tryon
A treatise of cleanness...to which is added a short discourse of the pain in the teeth, shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed, and also how to prevent it.
England
The first printed book in English to reference teeth and dental health in the title.
1687
Allen
Curious observations in that difficult part of chirurgery, relating to the teeth.
England
The first book exclusively on dentistry printed in English.
1712
Bonucci
Istoria di S. Apollonia vergine e martire alessandrina, avvocata contro i dolori de denti
Italy
The first book on Saint Apollonia, the Patron Saint of Tooth Health and Pain.
1728
Fauchard
Le Chirurgien dentiste, ou Traite des dents
France
The first book on the scientific aspects of dentistry by the "Father of Modern Dentistry."
1742
Hurlock
A practical treatise upon dentition; or, The Breeding of Teeth in children
Great Britain
The first book exclusively on dentistry for children. This copy was owned by the physician Thomas Bond, who along with Benjamin Franklin, co-founded Pennsylvania Hospital, the first medical facility in the American colonies. Related to Thomas Emerson Bond, co-founder of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1840, the first dental school in the world.
1742
Mouton
Essay d'odontotechnie, ou dissertation sur les dents artificielles
France
The first specialized book on dental prosthetics.
1753
Lind
A Treatise on the Scurvy
Great Britain
The first described controlled clinical study in history. Lind, a surgeon serving the British Navy, gave half the sailors suffering from scurvy citrus juices and the other half nothing, and noticed that the first group was healed from oral symptoms of scurvy that include bleeding and bad odor from the gums.
1778
Hunter
A natural history of the human teeth: explaining their structure, use, formation, growth & diseases
Great Britain
The first illustrated book exclusively on dental anatomy. From the library of the prominent dental historian Dr. Bernhard W. Weinberger.
1778
Jourdain
Traite des maladies et des operations reellement chirurgicales de la bouche
France
The first specialized book on oral surgery.
1799
Assur
Korrt underrattelse om de mast vanliga tand-sjukdomar
Sweden
The first book on dentistry in the Swedish language.
1814
James
A Treatise on the Management of the Teeth
United States
The first full-length book on dentistry, and the first with a dental illustration, published in the United States. In 1801, Skinner published A Treatise on the Human Teeth in New York but it was a small publication intended to promote the author's services. James' book was the first dedicated to the practice of dentistry by physicians.
1815
Parmly
The summum bonum; and medical electrician
Quebec, Canada
The first book on dentistry printed in Canada.
1820
Delabarre
Traite de la partie mecanique de l'art du chirurgien-dentiste
France
The first scientifically written textbook on dental prosthetics.
1823
Parrott
Reflexiones Sobre La Importancia de Conservar la Dentadura y Manejo Necesario al Efecto
Mexico
The first book on dentistry printed in Mexico.
1832
Snell
A Practical Guide to Operations on the Teeth, To which is prefixed a historical sketch of the rise and progress of Dental Surgery
United States
The first book to describe an adjustable-type dental chair that could recline, invented by the author, allowing the dentist more access while positioned comfortably.
1836
Spooner
Guide to sound teeth, or, A popular treatise on the teeth
United States
The first book to describe the devitalization of dental pulp using arsenous acid, which was discovered by the author's brother John Roach Spooner, an American dentist working in Montreal, Canada.
1839
Harris
The Dental Art, A Practical Treatise on Dental Surgery
United States
One of the first dental textbooks to be used in dental school. The author was a co-founding editor of the first dental academic journal, and one of the founding members of the first dental school established in the world (Baltimore, USA).
1839-1841
The American Journal of Dental Science
volume 1, no. I-XII
United States
The complete first volume of the world's first dental journal.
1846
Bigelow
Insensibility during surgical operations produced by inhalation. Read before the Boston Society of Medical Improvement, Nov. 9th, 1846, an abstract having been previously read before the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Nov. 3d, 1846.
United States
The extremely rare offprint of the first description of ether anesthesia, reprinted from the original paper in The Boston medical and surgical journal. This is one of the most important publications in the history of medicine and surgery.
1847
Longet
Experiences relatives aux effets de l'inhalation de l'ether sulfurique sur le systeme nerveux
France
The first scientific study on the effects of ether anesthesia to be published.
1867
A Catalogue of Dental Materials, S. S. White
United States
The First dental catalogue of S.S. White, the world's first large dental products company.
1871
White
Taking Impressions of the Mouth
United States
The first book exclusively on dental impressions.
1874
Coles
On the Condition of the Mouth and Teeth During Pregnancy
Great Britain
The first printed text dedicated to the oral health of the pregnant patient.
1885
Crowley
Dental Bibliography
United States
The first historical dental bibliography to be printed as a stand-alone book.
1890
Miller
The Micro-Organisms of the Human Mouth
United States
The first book on the micro-briological basis of oral health.
1896
Lane
The surgery of the head and neck
United States
The first textbook on head and neck surgery published in the United States.
1908
Black
A Work on Operative Dentistry
United States
The book that introduced the modern classification of dental caries still used today, and arguably the most important dental text of the 20th century.
1926
McCaw
The Dental Assistant
United States
The first textbook on dental assisting, and the first to be published by a dental assistant.
1928
Kennedy
Partial Denture Construction
United States
The first book to introduce the modern classification of edentulism (missing teeth) still used today for the design and fabrication of dentures.
1931
Rihan
Health of the Gums and Teeth [arabic text]
Lebanon
The first book on dentistry to be printed in Lebanon, inscribed by the author.