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Early Dentistry - Historical Photos and Documents
Click here to view historical documents that include the 1908 Dentists Act, a newspaper article, dental fee bill and 1891 minute book excerpts.
Sentinel Article
Click here to read more about the centenary.
Thomas Joseph Jones(1845 - 1924)
B.C.'S "Father of Dentistry "
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Dr. Thomas Joseph Jones earned a reputation as “the father of the profession” in B.C. An advocate of self-regulation, Dr. Jones presided over the B.C. Examination Board for 14 years and was the founder and first president of the B.C. Dental Society, established in 1891.
When it was enacted in 1886, the first dental act provided for the appointment of a Board of Examiners by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to maintain a register and to make rules, regulations and bylaws to regulate the practice of dentistry.
Dr. Jones was touted as “Father of the B.C. Liberal Party” and was founder of the National Electric Tramway and Lighting Co., Victoria’s first lighting and transit system.
Dr. Jones practised dentistry for 40 years in B.C. and 20 years in Ontario. At the time of his death, he was the oldest practising dentist in Canada.
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Dr. Jones’ residence, known as “Dundalk”, was situated at the corner of Linden and Rockland Avenues in Victoria, an area graced by estates and Government House.
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Dr. William Jones followed the 1880's Gold Rush to Barkerville from regions unknown, where he established a practice for which he is honoured at the town’s museum today. In 1886, Dr. Jones was the first to register under the B.C. Dental Act.
After the gold rush era, Dr. Jones relocated to the Okanagan Valley to become the region’s earliest dentist. He also became the first recorded itinerant dentist. Dr. Jones travelled via horse and buggy with a treadle drill in tow.
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Founding meeting of the Thompson-Okanagan Dental Society in 1920 where practice management was the primary topic of discussion.
Inset: Photo of Dr. Robert Matheson, a venerated member of the fledgling Thompson-Okanagan Dental Society who began his career as a printer in Vancouver. While living on the coast, Dr. Matheson was a volunteer fire fighter who battled the 1886 Great Fire. After his dental apprenticeship, Dr. Matheson established a practice in the Okanagan Valley in 1904. He retired in Kelowna in 1950. |
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Photo credit: National Archives of Canada
A dental office circa 1890. This photo was taken by Dr. Don Gullet, author of A History of Dentistry in Canada, who created this replica of a dental office for display purposes. The location of this office is unknown. |
Photo courtesy of Dr. Ralph Crawford
A pre-electricity and pre-running-water dental office circa 1890s featuring a foot-pedal drill and an embroidered, wooden dental chair. |
Photo courtesy of Dr. Ralph Crawford
Dental office circa 1920s
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Photo courtesy of Dr. Ralph Crawford
Vulcanite denture circa 1920 |
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Photo courtesy of Dr. Ralph Crawford
Dr. Maurice Bregman with a patient in 1924. |
The Royal Canadian Dental Corps
1914-1918
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| Orpington Hospital Dental Clinic at the Canadian Forces training base in Whitley, England. The base served 40,000 men during WW I. |
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1939 - 1945
Serving the Army and Navy
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Dental clinic aboard the Destroyer HMCS Annapolis. When treating patients at sea, dentists found it necessary to brace themselves against chair and bulkhead to overcome the constant pitching. |
| Dr. Mel Bagnall (C) and Dr. H.T. Minogue (R), both Vancouver dentists, were stationed at the Whitley, England base during the war. Dr. Minogue was the first president of the Vancouver Dental Society (in 1908). |
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| As a defense tactic, mobile dental and medical clinics routinely headed military convoys. Seen here is a clinic from the No. 9 (Cdn.) Dental Company crossing the Rhine at Emmerich. |
Overseas mobile dental clinic in operation. |
Serving the Air Force
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| A 1945 photo of Captain C.B. Jameson, native of Victoria, B.C., responsible for the dental health of two air force squadrons while stationed in India |
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