Pierre Fauchard: the 'Father of Modern Dentistry'

If a have to choose the biggest character of odontology immediately I think in the French Pierre 

Fauchard, the father of dentistry. I really knew of his existence recently but I think he is very important for the study and evolution of dentistry.

He was born in in Saint-Denis-de-Gastines, France, 1678. At the age of 15 he had his first contacts with dentistry in the French navy. Serving at sea, Fauchard observed many oral diseases; this motivated him in his next steps.

Three years later, Fauchard left the Navy and began working as a dentist, established his practice in the university town of Angers in Western France. For this he had to study handicrafts, techniques and instruments.

The standards of dental treatment were primitive in Fauchard's time; there were no formal training courses, almost nonexistent hygiene and no control.

In the hospital of the university Fauchard was considered a highly skilled surgeon, especially for made improvisations of dental instruments, adapting tools from watch makers, jewelers and even barbers, that he thought could be used in dentistry.

At that time existed a few books on the subject of dentistry so he made the decision to write a professional dentist's treatise based on his medical experience, Le Chirurgien Dentiste ("The Surgeon Dentist"), published in 1728. The book described basic oral anatomy and function, signs and symptoms of oral pathology.

With this Fauchard gave a new look to dentistry that last until our days.