Genealogy Chat

Hadn't realised the play on words there Geoff! Thanks very much Judith for that information, it looks as though he probably became a dentist as on my grandfathers probate he signed his name as George Jonas Swindell retired Dentist, Lynne

In medieval times barbers or 'barber surgeons' would pull teeth as a side line! I found the following on the BDA dentistry website: By 1800 there were still relatively few `dentists' in England: perhaps 40 operating in London and 20 in the rest of the country. By the middle of the 19th century the number of practising dentists had increased markedly, although there was no legal or professional control to prevent malpractice and incompetence. Pressure for reform of the profession increased. By 1879 dental schools were set up in London and the 1878 Dentists' Act and 1879 Dentists' Register meant that only qualified and registered practitioners could hold the title of `dentist' or `dental surgeon'. The British Dental Association, formed in 1880 with Sir John Tomes as president, played a major role in prosecuting illegally practising dentists.

pay in dentures ho ho ho

My Great Uncle George Jonas Swindell is listed on the 1881 as a dentist apprentice, on the 1901 his occupation was dentist, does anyone know what the procedure was in training to be a dentist back in the late 1800s did you have to pay indentures? they werent a wealthy family all the other children went on to have very ordinary jobs, or is it just these days we think of dentists as being wealthy! Lynne