HISTORY OF THE BOARD
In 1839, two prominent Baltimore
dental practitioners, Dr. Horace H. Hayden and Dr. Chapin A. Harris applied for
a charter from the Maryland General Assembly to establish an independent dental
school that would award a new degree, the Doctor of Dental Surgery. The General Assembly granted the charter in
1840, establishing the first dental school in the world, the Baltimore College
of Dental Surgery (now the Dental School of the University of Maryland).
More than four decades later, the
General Assembly passed legislation to formally regulate the practice of
dentistry. Legislation in 1884
established the State Board of Dental Examiners to:
- Limit the
practice of dentistry to those who are competent to engage in it;
- Maintain a
registry of certified practitioners;
- Provide
reasonable opportunity to qualified persons who wish to practice in Maryland;
- Support an
acceptable standard of dental practice; and
- Protect the
public interest.
In
1947, the Board’s regulatory authority was expanded to include dental
hygienists. In keeping with its original
charges, the Board currently regulates dentists, dental hygienists, dental
assistants, dental radiation technologists, and the practice of dentistry and
dental hygiene in Maryland.