Foundation ...

Shortly after 1878, on the passing of the Dentists Act, a formal qualification in dentistry was recognised for the first time in Scotland. Both the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (as the College was then known) were empowered to grant licentiateships in dental surgery. On 19th January 1879, the Glasgow Faculty elected a 'Dental Board' and, later that year, the first candidates presented themselves for examination for the Licentiate of Dental Surgery (LDS).

The Glasgow School of Dental Surgery was formed at Anderson’s College in June 1879. The LDS remained the goal of the undergraduate dental student in Glasgow until 1948 when the Dental School became part of the University of Glasgow and the LDS was superseded by the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). Since that date the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow has concentrated on post-graduate dental qualifications.

Post-graduate qualifications in dentistry had been initiated by the College, by now known as the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, as early as 1920 with the introduction of the Higher Dental Diploma. The examination was open to those holding the Licentiate in Dental Surgery (LDS) on production of evidence of at least twelve months study or practice of dental surgery as a registered dentist.

... to Fellowship

In 1949, the Royal Faculty established a Diploma in Dental Orthodontics.  It was the first postgraduate diploma in orthodontics to be awarded in the United Kingdom. The first diploma was awarded to Miss E M Webster, LDS.

Following the passing of the Dentists Act in 1921, the Royal Faculty created a Dental Committee to advise its Council on dental matters and the Dental Committee was superseded by a Dental Council in 1967. In that year also, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (as it had now become) introduced a Fellowship in Dental Surgery.

In 1990 the dental Fellows collectively became the Dental Faculty and the Convenor of the Dental Council became the Dean of the Faculty. Since the year 2003, the Dean of the Dental Faculty has also been Vice-President (Dental) of the College.

The Dental Faculty now includes not only those working in hospital and university services, but also dentists working in general dental practice and in the community dental service. The variety of College qualifications reflects the range of training of the fellows and members of the Faculty.

 

Dental instruments from the past

The College holds a vast archive of historical books and medical instruments from the past.

An example are dental instruments from the John Fairley Collection (pictured).  All date from   the late 19th to early 20th Centuries.

 

Pictured here from left to right:

LS 106 Right-angle handpiece, SS White Dental Manufacturing Company. 

LS 104 Automatic engine amalgam mixer, Amalgam Dental Company Ltd, England.

LS 103 Fixed engine handpiece

LS 105 Automatic engine plugger, S.S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, USA Patent 1890.

LS 101 Automatic plugger, S.S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, USA Patent 1903.

For more information on the John Fairley Collection held at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, please see the Henry Noble History of Dentistry Research Group website.