Milestones in Dentistry: Celebrating Our History and Advancements

The year 2025 is a celebration of the Faculty of Dentistry's 150th anniversary at the University of Toronto. To celebrate this milestone we have set up historical snapshots of the faculty in our Reading Room. The Library's Reading Room, as it was built in 1956, had nine windows. In the mid-1980s, the nine windows were covered to make space for the addition to the building. These nine former windows came to be known as the "nooks". Over the years, there were many attempts to use them in a functional way. Finally, for this celebration we decided to fill the nine nooks with histories. These nine stories include:

The history of the Faculty of Dentistry building
A brief history of the faculty's programs
A brief history of the faculty's research
The Faculty's impact on Canadian dental public health
Knowledge transfer activities, especially in China and Ethiopia
A brief history of the dental office, chairs, and instruments
The history of the library
A selection of Ontarian and Canadian dental periodicals
And finally, Dentantics (the student's theatrical show from 1921 to present)

Please note that the content of this exhibition is by no means comprehensive of all the accomplishments and milestones. We are only highlighting some milestones and interesting facts in the development of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto and dentistry in general, to the best of our knowledge.

For accessibility, we have a section called Document Transcriptions at the very end of this exhibit that provides transcriptions of historical documents we used throughout the exhibit.

We welcome any feedback or suggestions.

Acknowledgements

Our sincerest thanks to Jeff Comber, Senior Photographer, IITS; Dr. Anne Dale, Dental Museum Curator Emerita; Roshaan Hajira, Alumni Engagement Officer, and the U of T Faculty of Dentistry Advancement Office for their help with and contributions to this exhibit.

The Dental Faculty Buildng poster, featuring pictures of the building from the early 1900s and today, the architectural sketch of the current building, and the mural in the current building's lobby. The write-up reads: "Throughout its many years of existence, the U of T Faculty of Dentistry -- once the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (R.C.D.S.O.) dental school -- has called numerous places home. From its beginnings in just two rooms on Church Street to its present-day building amidst Toronto's major hospitals, the buildings that have housed the Faculty have gone through many changes."
The Dental Programs at U of T Dentistry poster, featuring an image of the announcement of the college, a Centennial festival graphic, the composite of the graduating class of 1888-1889, and a contemporary student and instructor working together. The write-up reads: "The establishment of the Toronto dental school in 1875 was the beginning of dental education in Canda. Over the years, our faculty and staff have worked to buuld academic programs hat meet the University's strict standards, making it the internationally renowned dental school that it is today."
The U of T Dental Research poster, featuring an image of the current labs, a periodontitis graphic, a graphic depicting intersecting areas of research at the faculty, and a photo from a recent Research Day. The write-up reads: "U of T Dentistry is a leader in dental research. Our faculty worked tirelessly to establish the first Canadian dental research institute with a multidisciplinary and international collaborative approach, which paved the way for dental research across all the dental schools in Canada. Today, the Faculty remains a leader in dental research innovation and scholarly publishing in Canada."
The Dental Public Health poster, featuring the cover page of An Act Respecting Dentistry, a bottle of Hutax toothpaste, and the Green Shield Clinic. The write-up reads: "Dental Public Health has always been the core of dental research, teaching and practice at U of T Dentistry. The Faculty, since the beginning, has provided dental services to underserved populations. Our community's research and publications have greatly informed policy and healthcare decisions in Canada, and have continually supported access to dental care and promoted preventive methods."
The Knowledge Transfer Activities poster, featuring five notable men from U of T who contributed to the development of dentistry in China, Dr. Wondwossen Fantaye and Dean Daniel Haas at the Addis Ababa University, and a group of students and instructors during the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration. The write-up reads: "Throughout its history, U of T Dentistry has been committed to knowledge transfer, and its influence continues to expand beyond its campus. The faculty's international impact is evident in alumni like Dr. Ashley Lindsay, who is known as the "Father of Dentistry in China."
The Dental Office, Chairs and Instruments poster, featuring an old dental chair, dental instruments made in a Second World War prisoner of war camp, and a contemporary dental office setup. The write-up reads: "Dental care has changed over the years with the evolution of dental offices, chairs and instruments. These transformations have improved the workflow for dental professionals and enshanced the patient experience. To this day, dental technology continues to revolutionize the field."
The Dentistry Library poster, featuring photos of the U of T Dentistry library from the 1950s to the present. The write-up reads: "Established in 1897, the U of T Dentistry Library is the oldest and only free-standing dental library in Canada. The library is part of the U of T Central Library System, which is one of the largest libaries in North America. Now situated in a modern space, the library's collection, space and services have undergone many changes over the years to meet its users' evolving needs."
The Canadian Dental Periodicals poster, featuring the spines of the Index to Dental Literature and the Canada Journal of Dental Science, and covers of the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association and the University of Toronto Dental Journal. The write-up reads: "Since the beginning, Canadian dental literature has been a source of knowledge translation and mobilization for practitioners. Canadian dental literature focuses on sharing dental research, patient education, practice management, practice guidelines, and more."
The Dentantics poster, featuring four Dentantics program covers from over the years. The write-up reads: "Dentantics is the name given to an annual theatre show created by U of T Dentistry's undergraduate students, U of T Dentistry community members have also contributed time and talent over th eyears. From the first edition of Dentantics in 1921 to the present, the show has achieved a legacy of antics and fun memories. Proceeds from the event support a dentistry related program or charity."

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