Volume 219 Issue 8, 23 October 2015
'HISTORY OF DENTISTRY IN 12 OBJECTS' SERIES: DENTAL CHAIR
The cover series for volume 219 celebrates 80 years of the British Dental Association (BDA) Museum. Each front cover features an object which highlights a landmark in dental history. The catch is that the object is placed out of its historical context and in a modern environment, causing you to look twice at each picture. The landmark objects were chosen by BDA Museum volunteers.
Josiah Flagg (17631816), reputed to be the first native born American dentist, is credited with making the first dental chair in 1790 by taking a standard wooden, spindle backed Windsor chair and adding a padded headrest and a widened wooden armrest for the instruments. James Snell (17951850) of London made the first adjustable dental chair in 1831, with later designers producing ever greater levels of sophistication. However, it was not until 1887 that the first patent was granted to Dr James Beall Morrison of Missouri for his tilting operating chair.
The chair on the cover is thought to be from a dental dispensary around the 1880s; but with only an adjustable headrest it lacked the comfort of its contemporaries. The strap would have been used during the administration of general anaesthetics and not for restraining belligerent patients!
Photography by Filip Gierlinski. Website: www.filskifoto.com; Email: filip@filskifoto.com
h thanks to Henry Schein for making their London Showroom available for this photo shoot. Email: everything@henryschein.co.uk; Tel: 020 7298 1980; Website: https://www.henryschein.co.uk/ gb-en/dental-gb.
With thanks also to Sevgi Ozer and Mr Paul Marshall from Nigel Meyer & Associates Dental Practice for their assistance with this cover.
Editorial
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