Dentistry and the British Army: 1661 to 1921.

Quentin Anderson

doi:10.1038/s41415-021-2761-1

Abstract

Between 1661 and 1921, Britain witnessed significant changes in the prevalence of dental caries and its treatment. This period saw the formation of the standing British Army and its changing oral health needs. This paper seeks to identify these changes in the Army and its dental needs, and place them in the context of the changing disease prevalence and dental advances of the time. The rapidly changing military and oral health landscapes of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century bring recognition of the Army's growing dental problems. It is not, however, without years of campaigning by members of the profession, huge dental morbidity rates on campaign and the outbreak of a global conflict that the War Office resource a solution. This culminates in 1921 with, for the first time in 260 years, the establishment of a professional Corps within the Army for the dental care of its soldiers; the Army Dental Corps is formed.

Highlights

This paper sets out to illustrate the links between dentistry and the British Army over the 260 years between the Royal Warrant of Charles II establishing today’s Army and that of King George V authorising the establishment of the Army Dental Corps
It sets the background to the papers in this issue which illustrate some of the subsequent 100 years of service of the Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) and those members of the dental profession who have both served and continue to serve in the RADC
The nationally increasing prevalence of caries expressed itself in the number of recruits rejected on dental grounds, which by the mid1870s, had more than doubled the figures of 50 years earlier, it had reduced from the peak seen in the 1840s42,43,44 (Table 4)

Summary

Key points

Provides an overview of dentistry in Britain and its relation to the British Army from 1661 to 1921. Provides an overview of the concerns of the dental profession over the lack of dedicated dental provision for the Army from the latter half of the nineteenth century. Illustrates some of the measures taken to provide dental care to the Army in the twentieth century before 1921 and the formation of the Army Dental Corps

Introduction

Findings

Summary