The original caption may contain language which is historic and which may no longer be considered appropriate. It has been retained in the record in the interest of historical accuracy.
The caption on the reverse of the photograph reads: “Training dental nurses. First School of its kind in Great Britain (see attached story). Photo shows:- A dental attendant assisting at the dental chair.”
Believing that good dental care, especially for children, was essential to preventative medicine, George Eastman offered funding to the Royal Free Hospital to establish a dental clinic. Further donations enabled the Eastman Dental Clinic to be built, and it was officially opened in 1931. Formal dental nurse training began at the Clinic and at the University of Bristol in the 1930s. Philip Grundy first envisaged the establishment of a formal qualification in 1936, and a qualifying examination for dental surgery assistants was introduced in 1943. Along with training, the Eastman Dental Clinic provided free dental care for children in four of the poorest London boroughs, and played a major role in the development of modern public dental healthcare in the UK. See also MED01/01/0202-0208 and MED01/01/0210-0211, and MED01/02/0008. High-resolution copies of this image are available for free for non-commercial use. Please Enquire to place an order.
This is part of the Series: MED01/01 Series of prints; within the Collection: MED01 Topical Press Agency Medical Collection
Source: Historic England Archive
Photographer: Topical Press Agency Limited
Photographer: Harrison, Norman Kingsley
Dental Hospital, Education, People At Work, Women's History, Health And Welfare
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