- Email: [email protected]
Part 4 Dental therapeutics
PART 4
FLO YD D. O S T R A N D E R , D.D.S., M.S., A N N A R B O R , M IC H .
In 1926 William J. Gies1 stated, “ . . . in most dental schools, instruction of dental students in medical sciences has been un wisely directed, indifferently given, and poorly assimilated, and the practice of dentistry has failed from the lack of knowledge, ability and vision to measure up to its opportunities in health service.” Since the dental profession prior to this time had been primarily preoccupied with the mechanical phases of its work, it is not surprising that pharmacology and therapeutics, along with other medical sciences, were largely neglected by the American Dental Association until after the mid-twenties. It is true that certain efforts by the Association were made from time to time to improve this aspect of dentistry. A sur vey of the Transactions of the National Dental Association and later (1922) of the American Dental Association will show that as early as 1910 a resolution was passed asking the U. S. Department o f Agriculture to analyze and report on
the composition of mouthwashes.2 Fur thermore, a Committee on the Pharma copoeia was maintained over the years whose duty it was to represent dentistry’s interests with the officers of the United States Pharmacopoeia. It is also found that at least as early as 1922, the Ameri can Dental Association had a Committee on National Formulary which in that year reported in p art:3 , Y our Com m ittee . . . hopes to have a repre sentative lot o f dental formulas in the next issue of the National Formulary, the publica tion o f w hich should appear within the next year.
The Research Institute of the National Dental Association was established in 1915. Later (1924) this Institute became a legal affiliate of the American Dental Association.4 This Institute was active in various aspects o f dental research, and some phases involved dental therapeutics. For example, at the 1919 meeting of the National Dental Association, Weston A. Price, the director o f the Institute, pre
was carrying out a study of the results of pulp canal treatment.7 These examples are cited to show that certain sporadic efforts to contribute to the field of dental therapeutics were made by the American Dental Association prior to the mid-twenties. However, they were not extensive enough to produce any trend toward a more rational approach to dental therapeutics. Actually dental therapy was becoming more confused be cause of the invasion of the dental field by an increasing number of secret-formula preparations marketed to (and sometimes by) members of the profession with no scientific background establishing their safety or effectiveness. EARLY ASSOCIATION EFFORTS IN DENTAL THERAPEUTICS
Laboratory of the Division o f Chem istry, C ouncil on Dental Therapeutics
sented a paper on “ Some Recommenda tions for the Sterilization and Filling of Infected Roots.” 5 Beginning in 19^2 the American Den tal Association adopted a policy of sup porting research at the various dental schools. Although most of the projects sponsored under this program dealt with such subjects as the histology and pathol ogy of dental structures, dental caries, and focal infection, a few studies involv ing therapeutic problems were included. For example, the report o f the secretarytreasurer of the Research Commission for 1923 shows that at the University of Cali fornia a study was being carried out on the therapeutic action o f solutions of radium salts,® and the report for 1924 indicates that Northwestern University
By the mid-twenties many of the leaders in dentistry were becoming concerned about the prevailing situation in the field o f dental therapeutics, and at the Louis ville meeting in 1925 a special committee on standardization of dental proprietary preparations and materials was appointed. In its report in 1926 this committee made two very important suggestions which were later implemented and did much to initiate improvement in dentistry’s con fused therapeutic armamentarium.8 The first suggestion was that the Amer ican Dental Association amend the Code o f Ethics, “ discouraging, if. not prohibit ing, the giving of testimonials by dentists to manufacturers of pharmaceutical prep arations and materials.” This recommen dation became a part of the Code of Ethics when a revised code was adopted at the next annual meeting.9 The second suggestion was that a plan of cooperation with the American M ed ical Association might be formulated by which a chemist would be employed by the American Dental Association and would work in the laboratories of the medical association on problems concern ing dental therapeutic agents. The con
O S T R A N D E R . . . V O L U M E 58, J U N E 1959 «111
summation of this suggestion in 1927 is recorded in a letter from Paul Nicholas Leech, director o f the American Medical Association Chemical Laboratory, ad dressed to Otto U. King, secretary of the American Dental Association. This com munication states in p a rt:10 This w ill acknowledge receipt o f your letter o f July 15, with reference to the authorization at the recent meeting o f your Board o f Trustees for an appropriation of $3,000, to pay the salary of a chemist to cooperate with the Am er ican M edical Association. This letter confirms, therefore, the telephone conversation o f this m orning to the effect that the Board of Trustees o f the Am erican M edical Association has empowered me to make a written agree ment with the Am erican D ental Associa tion. . . .
The agency resulting from this agree ment with the American Medical Asso ciation became known as the Bureau of Chemistry. In one of its early reports to the Board of Trustees is found the first suggestion for the formation of the Coun cil on Dental Therapeutics which reads in part as follow s:11 In the R eport o f the Chemist of the A m er ican D ental Association, for the period end ing July 31, 1928, brief mention was m ade o f a proposed C ouncil to pass on the therapeutic and clinical claims o f various medicaments to be offered to the dental profession. . . . V ery shortly, the Am erican Dental Association will be confronted with a situation wherein the re ports o f the Chemist will be questioned by manufacturers and dispensers o f “ dental pat ent m edicines” and proprietaries, not altruisti cally but because the search light o f scientific investigation will cast serious doubts on the exaggerated claims m ade for many dental products. T he contem plation o f such a situa tion leads to the point where serious considera tion should be given to the scrutiny o f the dental and chemical claims made for the many dental proprietaries on the market by a body representing and having the backing of organ ized dentistry. . . .
The record of this meeting of the Board of Trustees also shows that the in coming president o f the American Dental Association, the secretary of the American Dental Association, and Trustee Harold
S. Smith were appointed as a committee to: . . . investigate the recom m endation . . . in regard to form ing some advisory com mittee in relation to our chem ical research being carried on at the Am erican M edical Association laboratories. . . .
At the 1929 session held in Washington, D. C., a resolution was adopted by the House of Delegates12 authorizing the Board of Trustees to: . . . organize a C ouncil on Therapeutics com posed o f ten members, who shall be nom i nated by the Board o f Trustees and elected by the House o f Delegates. . . . Five members of the C ouncil must be members of the dental profession, five may be scientists from other groups.
The formation of the Council on Den tal Therapeutics was completed at an organization meeting held on January 3 and 4, 1930.13 In accord with the en abling resolution passed by the House of Delegates in 1929,12 the Council now began supervising the activities of the Bureau of Chemistry, now the Council’ s Division of Chemistry, and the two agen cies continued to work closely and har moniously together since that time. Thus by 1930 the American Dental Association had taken three important steps which were to enable it to make major contributions to a rational form of dental therapeutics in the years which followed. These steps were : ( 1 ) the adop tion of the principle that it is unethical for a dentist to market or provide testi monials for proprietary therapeutic agents of undemonstrated merit, (2) the estab lishment o f the Bureau o f Chemistry to determine the nature of secret formula preparations and the strength and purity of other products, (3) the organization of the Council on Dental Therapeutics as an agency to evaluate the data furnished by the Bureau of Chemistry, manufac turers and other sources to establish the acceptability o f products marketed for dental therapeutic purposes. The original ten members of the Coun
112 • THE J O U R N A L O F THE A M E R IC A N D EN T A L A S S O C IA T IO N
cil on Dental Therapeutics were as fol lows: Thomas J. Hill, D.D.S., professor o f clinical oral pathology and thera peutics, Western Reserve University School of Dentistry; Percy R. Howe, D.D.S., director, Forsyth Dental In firmary for Children; Paul J. Hanzlik, M .D., professor of pharmacology, Stan ford University School of Medicine; Milan A. Logan, Ph.D., instructor in biologic chemistry, Harvard Medical School; Arno B. Luckhardt, Ph.D., M .D., professor o f physiology, University of Chicago; John A. Marshall, Ph.D., D.D.S., professor of dental pathology and biochemistry, University of California College of Dentistry; Victor C. Myers, Ph.D., professor o f biochemistry, West ern Reserve University School o f M edi cine and School of Dentistry; John F. Norton, Ph.D., chief of laboratories, De partment of Health, Detroit; U. Garfield Rickert, D.D.S., professor o f physiologic chemistry, hygiene and therapeutics, Uni versity of Michigan School of Dentistry; Harold S. Smith, D.D.S., Chicago. Dr. Howe became the first chairman of the Council and Samuel M . Gordon became the first full-time secretary and chief of the Association’s Bureau o f Chemistry. EARLY DAYS OF T H E
termined to sweep out and fum igate the un desirable aspects of proprietary journalism.
These men who pioneered in the field of evaluation of dental therapeutic agents did not always find this spring housecleaning an easy task, and dentistry must be forever grateful for their determined efforts to see that the profession and the public were protected from exploitation through the sale of useless and sometimes dangerous drugs. Numerous damage suits were threatened against the Coun cil on Dental Therapeutics in these early years, including one for $500,000.15 Unfortunately, the Council in these early days did not receive the solid sup port of the profession that it deserved. In fact a reading o f the Transactions of the American Dental Association for 1932 will show that a rather determined effort was made by certain elements in the Association to scuttle the Council at that meeting.15 Fortunately, because of the devotion and integrity of those men who made up the membership of the Council and in particular, because o f the determination o f its chairman, Harold S. Smith, this move was defeated and the Council was preserved to make many major contributions to rational dental therapeutics over the three decades of its activity.
COUNCIL ON DENTAL THERAPEUTICS ACHIEVEM ENTS OF T H E COUNCIL
With the completion of the organization o f the Council, there began a very thor ough renovation o f dentistry’s therapeutic armamentarium. T o quote from a paper delivered by one of the Council mem bers14 (Dr. Rickert) which was delivered at the annual session of the Association in 1933: It must be evident to any careful observer that it is springtime in dental reforms. H ouse keeping is in full swing. Parasitic proprietary régimes are being swept through the back door. . . . . T h e Am erican D ental Association, through its C ouncil on Dental Therapeutics, is now en gaged in dusting unscientific proprietary m edi cines from its materia m edica and, finally, there are already those with broom in hand de
It should be emphasized that since the organization o f the Council in 1930, some 20 additional Council members have given devoted service to the cause of ra tional dental therapy. Their contribu tions cannot be underestimated, but space will not permit me to discuss them in dividually in this paper. Furthermore, the very extensive help of the several Coun cil secretaries, assistant secretaries, and other members of the Central Office staff should be acknowledged as having been indispensable over the years. Currently, the Council on Dental Therapeutics consists o f nine members,
O S T R A N D E R . . . V O L U M E 58, J U N E 1959 « 113
all of whom are dentists. As the number o f dentists with additional training in the basic sciences increased, it became pos sible and desirable to limit membership on the Council to those with a dental de gree. However, the Council makes exten sive use of consultants in the medical and basic science fields. Many of these con sultants have made major contributions to the Council’s activities. It should be emphasized that the contributions of the Council on Dental Therapeutics have not been limited simply to an evaluation o f dental thera peutic agents. In fact it is evident that a broad concept of the responsibilities of the Council was adopted from the first. At the organizational meeting of the Council,lfi the sixth motion adopted read as follows: Th at the C ouncil adopt the follow ing as com ing within the scope and objectives o f the C ou ncil: T o point out the advantages o f simplified materia m edica and therapeutics, and elimi nate unessential modifications o f well-known drugs. T o consider publishing a book similar to “ Useful Drugs.” T o request dental schools to appoint contact committees to aid the work o f the Council. In certain outstanding instances to initiate a series of articles for publication in the Journal bearing on the present status o f debatable therapeutic procedures. T o initiate research work where action of the Council depends on clearing up debatable points so far as general consideration o f drugs is concerned.
Over the years the Council has more than fulfilled these objectives. In 1934 the first edition o f Accepted Dental Remedies appeared, and it has been re vised 23 times since that time. Currently, more than 10,000 copies are sold an nually. The Council has cooperated closely with dental schools and in turn has re ceived much needed support from them. This Council, together with the Council on Dental Education, sponsored the Con ference on the Teaching of Local Anes thesiology which was held at the Asso-
1559
accepted dental remedies
ciation’s headquarters in 1955. In turn the Council is deeply indebted to the dental schools for their efforts to indoc trinate their students in better habits of therapeutic practice, in the use of A c cepted Dental Remedies, and for many research projects which have been the basis for a more scientific evaluation of dental therapeutic agents. The Council has sponsored a long list of informative articles which have been published in t h e j o u r n a l and have enabled the profession to keep up with advancing therapeutic trends. Although the Council has never had a large budget for sponsored therapeutic research, it has been possible for it to initiate many projects both within the Division of Chemistry at the Association’s headquarters and at various dental schools and other appropriate institu tions. In addition the headquarters staff and Council members have often helped, in an advisory capacity, in planning and carrying out other research projects. The Council has cooperated very closely with many manufacturers o f den tal therapeutic agents in product-improvement programs and in the plan ning of ethical advertising programs. One of the major contributions of the Council has been its cooperation with federal agencies such as the Drug Division
114 • THE J O U R N A L O F THE A M E R IC A N DEN T A L A S S O C IA T IO N
o f the Food and Drug Administration Although recent progress in the field of and the Federal Trade Commission. dental therapeutics has been rapid, the Many times the Council, often with the responsibility o f the American Dental help of other American Dental Associa Association in this field will be a con tion agencies, has provided expert testi tinuing one. New therapeutic agents mony for these bodies in support of their which will require evaluating will be in efforts to suppress the marketing of un troduced continually, and there is no desirable dental products or false adver reason to believe that many of them will tising of such products. not continue to be found useless, falsely Representatives of the Council have advertised, or otherwise undesirable from often appeared before Congressional the standpoint o f rational dental thera committees when legislation was under peutics. However, in view of the Amer consideration which would have an effect ican Dental Association’s contributions on dental therapeutic practices. Examples , over the past three decades, this writer include testimony against certain bills has no fear that progress in this important which would have prevented or hindered aspect o f dentistry will not continue in the fluoridation of public water supplies the foreseeable future. and the presentation this past summer of extensive evidence of false advertising of dentifrices.17 It should be emphasized that the D r. O s t r a n d e r , a u t h o r o l th is a rtic le , is v ic e c h a ir m a n l T h e r a p e u t ic s o f th e A m e r ic a n American Dental Association’s contribu oDfe nthtael CAosus no cc ii la t oionn D ea nn ta d p r o fe s s o r o f d e n t is t r y a t the U n iv e r s it y o f M ic h i g a n S c h o o l o f D e n tistry . tions to dental therapeutics have not been 1. G îe s , W . J . D e n ta l e d u c a t io n in th e U n it e d S t a t e s limited solely to the activities of the a n d C a n a d a . N e w Y o r k , C a r n e g ie F o u n d a t io n fo r the A d v a n c e m e n t o f T e a c h in g , 1926. Council on Dental Therapeutics. In fact 2. N . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1910, p . 16. the contributions o f the Council would 3. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1922, p. 68. 4. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1924, p. 40. have been greatly limited were it not for 5. N . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1919, p . 23. the continuing support over the years by 6. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1923, p . 120. 7. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1924, p. 186. the Board of Trustees, the secretary of 8. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1926, p. 64. the Association, the editor and t h e j o u r 9. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1927, p. 93, 174. n a l , and numerous other Association 10. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1927, p. 366. 11. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1928, p. 277 agencies and members of the Central 12. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1929, p. 175. Office staff. Through their generous co 13. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1930, p. 35. operation with the Council, the contribu 14. R îck e rt, U . G . T h e C o u n c i l o n D e n ta l T h e r a p e u tic s . J . A . D . A . 21:808 M a y 1934. tions of the American Dental Association 15. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1932, p. 145. 16. B u lle tin . C o u n c i] o n D e n ta l T h e r a p e u t ic s 1:1, 1930. have been a major factor in the notice 17. A . D . A . , B u re a u o f P u b lic In fo r m a t io n , C o u n c il o n able improvement in dental therapeutics D e n ta l T h e r a p e u t ic s a n d C o u n c i l o n L e g is la t io n . A m e r which has occurred over the past three ic a n D e n ta l A s s o c i a t io n st a te m e n t o n d e n t ifr ic e a d v e r t is in g c la im s . J . A . D . A . 57:430 S e p t.; 546 O c t . ; 745 N o v . 1958. decades.
FLO YD D. O S T R A N D E R , D.D.S., M.S., A N N A R B O R , M IC H .
In 1926 William J. Gies1 stated, “ . . . in most dental schools, instruction of dental students in medical sciences has been un wisely directed, indifferently given, and poorly assimilated, and the practice of dentistry has failed from the lack of knowledge, ability and vision to measure up to its opportunities in health service.” Since the dental profession prior to this time had been primarily preoccupied with the mechanical phases of its work, it is not surprising that pharmacology and therapeutics, along with other medical sciences, were largely neglected by the American Dental Association until after the mid-twenties. It is true that certain efforts by the Association were made from time to time to improve this aspect of dentistry. A sur vey of the Transactions of the National Dental Association and later (1922) of the American Dental Association will show that as early as 1910 a resolution was passed asking the U. S. Department o f Agriculture to analyze and report on
the composition of mouthwashes.2 Fur thermore, a Committee on the Pharma copoeia was maintained over the years whose duty it was to represent dentistry’s interests with the officers of the United States Pharmacopoeia. It is also found that at least as early as 1922, the Ameri can Dental Association had a Committee on National Formulary which in that year reported in p art:3 , Y our Com m ittee . . . hopes to have a repre sentative lot o f dental formulas in the next issue of the National Formulary, the publica tion o f w hich should appear within the next year.
The Research Institute of the National Dental Association was established in 1915. Later (1924) this Institute became a legal affiliate of the American Dental Association.4 This Institute was active in various aspects o f dental research, and some phases involved dental therapeutics. For example, at the 1919 meeting of the National Dental Association, Weston A. Price, the director o f the Institute, pre
was carrying out a study of the results of pulp canal treatment.7 These examples are cited to show that certain sporadic efforts to contribute to the field of dental therapeutics were made by the American Dental Association prior to the mid-twenties. However, they were not extensive enough to produce any trend toward a more rational approach to dental therapeutics. Actually dental therapy was becoming more confused be cause of the invasion of the dental field by an increasing number of secret-formula preparations marketed to (and sometimes by) members of the profession with no scientific background establishing their safety or effectiveness. EARLY ASSOCIATION EFFORTS IN DENTAL THERAPEUTICS
Laboratory of the Division o f Chem istry, C ouncil on Dental Therapeutics
sented a paper on “ Some Recommenda tions for the Sterilization and Filling of Infected Roots.” 5 Beginning in 19^2 the American Den tal Association adopted a policy of sup porting research at the various dental schools. Although most of the projects sponsored under this program dealt with such subjects as the histology and pathol ogy of dental structures, dental caries, and focal infection, a few studies involv ing therapeutic problems were included. For example, the report o f the secretarytreasurer of the Research Commission for 1923 shows that at the University of Cali fornia a study was being carried out on the therapeutic action o f solutions of radium salts,® and the report for 1924 indicates that Northwestern University
By the mid-twenties many of the leaders in dentistry were becoming concerned about the prevailing situation in the field o f dental therapeutics, and at the Louis ville meeting in 1925 a special committee on standardization of dental proprietary preparations and materials was appointed. In its report in 1926 this committee made two very important suggestions which were later implemented and did much to initiate improvement in dentistry’s con fused therapeutic armamentarium.8 The first suggestion was that the Amer ican Dental Association amend the Code o f Ethics, “ discouraging, if. not prohibit ing, the giving of testimonials by dentists to manufacturers of pharmaceutical prep arations and materials.” This recommen dation became a part of the Code of Ethics when a revised code was adopted at the next annual meeting.9 The second suggestion was that a plan of cooperation with the American M ed ical Association might be formulated by which a chemist would be employed by the American Dental Association and would work in the laboratories of the medical association on problems concern ing dental therapeutic agents. The con
O S T R A N D E R . . . V O L U M E 58, J U N E 1959 «111
summation of this suggestion in 1927 is recorded in a letter from Paul Nicholas Leech, director o f the American Medical Association Chemical Laboratory, ad dressed to Otto U. King, secretary of the American Dental Association. This com munication states in p a rt:10 This w ill acknowledge receipt o f your letter o f July 15, with reference to the authorization at the recent meeting o f your Board o f Trustees for an appropriation of $3,000, to pay the salary of a chemist to cooperate with the Am er ican M edical Association. This letter confirms, therefore, the telephone conversation o f this m orning to the effect that the Board of Trustees o f the Am erican M edical Association has empowered me to make a written agree ment with the Am erican D ental Associa tion. . . .
The agency resulting from this agree ment with the American Medical Asso ciation became known as the Bureau of Chemistry. In one of its early reports to the Board of Trustees is found the first suggestion for the formation of the Coun cil on Dental Therapeutics which reads in part as follow s:11 In the R eport o f the Chemist of the A m er ican D ental Association, for the period end ing July 31, 1928, brief mention was m ade o f a proposed C ouncil to pass on the therapeutic and clinical claims o f various medicaments to be offered to the dental profession. . . . V ery shortly, the Am erican Dental Association will be confronted with a situation wherein the re ports o f the Chemist will be questioned by manufacturers and dispensers o f “ dental pat ent m edicines” and proprietaries, not altruisti cally but because the search light o f scientific investigation will cast serious doubts on the exaggerated claims m ade for many dental products. T he contem plation o f such a situa tion leads to the point where serious considera tion should be given to the scrutiny o f the dental and chemical claims made for the many dental proprietaries on the market by a body representing and having the backing of organ ized dentistry. . . .
The record of this meeting of the Board of Trustees also shows that the in coming president o f the American Dental Association, the secretary of the American Dental Association, and Trustee Harold
S. Smith were appointed as a committee to: . . . investigate the recom m endation . . . in regard to form ing some advisory com mittee in relation to our chem ical research being carried on at the Am erican M edical Association laboratories. . . .
At the 1929 session held in Washington, D. C., a resolution was adopted by the House of Delegates12 authorizing the Board of Trustees to: . . . organize a C ouncil on Therapeutics com posed o f ten members, who shall be nom i nated by the Board o f Trustees and elected by the House o f Delegates. . . . Five members of the C ouncil must be members of the dental profession, five may be scientists from other groups.
The formation of the Council on Den tal Therapeutics was completed at an organization meeting held on January 3 and 4, 1930.13 In accord with the en abling resolution passed by the House of Delegates in 1929,12 the Council now began supervising the activities of the Bureau of Chemistry, now the Council’ s Division of Chemistry, and the two agen cies continued to work closely and har moniously together since that time. Thus by 1930 the American Dental Association had taken three important steps which were to enable it to make major contributions to a rational form of dental therapeutics in the years which followed. These steps were : ( 1 ) the adop tion of the principle that it is unethical for a dentist to market or provide testi monials for proprietary therapeutic agents of undemonstrated merit, (2) the estab lishment o f the Bureau o f Chemistry to determine the nature of secret formula preparations and the strength and purity of other products, (3) the organization of the Council on Dental Therapeutics as an agency to evaluate the data furnished by the Bureau of Chemistry, manufac turers and other sources to establish the acceptability o f products marketed for dental therapeutic purposes. The original ten members of the Coun
112 • THE J O U R N A L O F THE A M E R IC A N D EN T A L A S S O C IA T IO N
cil on Dental Therapeutics were as fol lows: Thomas J. Hill, D.D.S., professor o f clinical oral pathology and thera peutics, Western Reserve University School of Dentistry; Percy R. Howe, D.D.S., director, Forsyth Dental In firmary for Children; Paul J. Hanzlik, M .D., professor of pharmacology, Stan ford University School of Medicine; Milan A. Logan, Ph.D., instructor in biologic chemistry, Harvard Medical School; Arno B. Luckhardt, Ph.D., M .D., professor o f physiology, University of Chicago; John A. Marshall, Ph.D., D.D.S., professor of dental pathology and biochemistry, University of California College of Dentistry; Victor C. Myers, Ph.D., professor o f biochemistry, West ern Reserve University School o f M edi cine and School of Dentistry; John F. Norton, Ph.D., chief of laboratories, De partment of Health, Detroit; U. Garfield Rickert, D.D.S., professor o f physiologic chemistry, hygiene and therapeutics, Uni versity of Michigan School of Dentistry; Harold S. Smith, D.D.S., Chicago. Dr. Howe became the first chairman of the Council and Samuel M . Gordon became the first full-time secretary and chief of the Association’s Bureau o f Chemistry. EARLY DAYS OF T H E
termined to sweep out and fum igate the un desirable aspects of proprietary journalism.
These men who pioneered in the field of evaluation of dental therapeutic agents did not always find this spring housecleaning an easy task, and dentistry must be forever grateful for their determined efforts to see that the profession and the public were protected from exploitation through the sale of useless and sometimes dangerous drugs. Numerous damage suits were threatened against the Coun cil on Dental Therapeutics in these early years, including one for $500,000.15 Unfortunately, the Council in these early days did not receive the solid sup port of the profession that it deserved. In fact a reading o f the Transactions of the American Dental Association for 1932 will show that a rather determined effort was made by certain elements in the Association to scuttle the Council at that meeting.15 Fortunately, because of the devotion and integrity of those men who made up the membership of the Council and in particular, because o f the determination o f its chairman, Harold S. Smith, this move was defeated and the Council was preserved to make many major contributions to rational dental therapeutics over the three decades of its activity.
COUNCIL ON DENTAL THERAPEUTICS ACHIEVEM ENTS OF T H E COUNCIL
With the completion of the organization o f the Council, there began a very thor ough renovation o f dentistry’s therapeutic armamentarium. T o quote from a paper delivered by one of the Council mem bers14 (Dr. Rickert) which was delivered at the annual session of the Association in 1933: It must be evident to any careful observer that it is springtime in dental reforms. H ouse keeping is in full swing. Parasitic proprietary régimes are being swept through the back door. . . . . T h e Am erican D ental Association, through its C ouncil on Dental Therapeutics, is now en gaged in dusting unscientific proprietary m edi cines from its materia m edica and, finally, there are already those with broom in hand de
It should be emphasized that since the organization o f the Council in 1930, some 20 additional Council members have given devoted service to the cause of ra tional dental therapy. Their contribu tions cannot be underestimated, but space will not permit me to discuss them in dividually in this paper. Furthermore, the very extensive help of the several Coun cil secretaries, assistant secretaries, and other members of the Central Office staff should be acknowledged as having been indispensable over the years. Currently, the Council on Dental Therapeutics consists o f nine members,
O S T R A N D E R . . . V O L U M E 58, J U N E 1959 « 113
all of whom are dentists. As the number o f dentists with additional training in the basic sciences increased, it became pos sible and desirable to limit membership on the Council to those with a dental de gree. However, the Council makes exten sive use of consultants in the medical and basic science fields. Many of these con sultants have made major contributions to the Council’s activities. It should be emphasized that the contributions of the Council on Dental Therapeutics have not been limited simply to an evaluation o f dental thera peutic agents. In fact it is evident that a broad concept of the responsibilities of the Council was adopted from the first. At the organizational meeting of the Council,lfi the sixth motion adopted read as follows: Th at the C ouncil adopt the follow ing as com ing within the scope and objectives o f the C ou ncil: T o point out the advantages o f simplified materia m edica and therapeutics, and elimi nate unessential modifications o f well-known drugs. T o consider publishing a book similar to “ Useful Drugs.” T o request dental schools to appoint contact committees to aid the work o f the Council. In certain outstanding instances to initiate a series of articles for publication in the Journal bearing on the present status o f debatable therapeutic procedures. T o initiate research work where action of the Council depends on clearing up debatable points so far as general consideration o f drugs is concerned.
Over the years the Council has more than fulfilled these objectives. In 1934 the first edition o f Accepted Dental Remedies appeared, and it has been re vised 23 times since that time. Currently, more than 10,000 copies are sold an nually. The Council has cooperated closely with dental schools and in turn has re ceived much needed support from them. This Council, together with the Council on Dental Education, sponsored the Con ference on the Teaching of Local Anes thesiology which was held at the Asso-
1559
accepted dental remedies
ciation’s headquarters in 1955. In turn the Council is deeply indebted to the dental schools for their efforts to indoc trinate their students in better habits of therapeutic practice, in the use of A c cepted Dental Remedies, and for many research projects which have been the basis for a more scientific evaluation of dental therapeutic agents. The Council has sponsored a long list of informative articles which have been published in t h e j o u r n a l and have enabled the profession to keep up with advancing therapeutic trends. Although the Council has never had a large budget for sponsored therapeutic research, it has been possible for it to initiate many projects both within the Division of Chemistry at the Association’s headquarters and at various dental schools and other appropriate institu tions. In addition the headquarters staff and Council members have often helped, in an advisory capacity, in planning and carrying out other research projects. The Council has cooperated very closely with many manufacturers o f den tal therapeutic agents in product-improvement programs and in the plan ning of ethical advertising programs. One of the major contributions of the Council has been its cooperation with federal agencies such as the Drug Division
114 • THE J O U R N A L O F THE A M E R IC A N DEN T A L A S S O C IA T IO N
o f the Food and Drug Administration Although recent progress in the field of and the Federal Trade Commission. dental therapeutics has been rapid, the Many times the Council, often with the responsibility o f the American Dental help of other American Dental Associa Association in this field will be a con tion agencies, has provided expert testi tinuing one. New therapeutic agents mony for these bodies in support of their which will require evaluating will be in efforts to suppress the marketing of un troduced continually, and there is no desirable dental products or false adver reason to believe that many of them will tising of such products. not continue to be found useless, falsely Representatives of the Council have advertised, or otherwise undesirable from often appeared before Congressional the standpoint o f rational dental thera committees when legislation was under peutics. However, in view of the Amer consideration which would have an effect ican Dental Association’s contributions on dental therapeutic practices. Examples , over the past three decades, this writer include testimony against certain bills has no fear that progress in this important which would have prevented or hindered aspect o f dentistry will not continue in the fluoridation of public water supplies the foreseeable future. and the presentation this past summer of extensive evidence of false advertising of dentifrices.17 It should be emphasized that the D r. O s t r a n d e r , a u t h o r o l th is a rtic le , is v ic e c h a ir m a n l T h e r a p e u t ic s o f th e A m e r ic a n American Dental Association’s contribu oDfe nthtael CAosus no cc ii la t oionn D ea nn ta d p r o fe s s o r o f d e n t is t r y a t the U n iv e r s it y o f M ic h i g a n S c h o o l o f D e n tistry . tions to dental therapeutics have not been 1. G îe s , W . J . D e n ta l e d u c a t io n in th e U n it e d S t a t e s limited solely to the activities of the a n d C a n a d a . N e w Y o r k , C a r n e g ie F o u n d a t io n fo r the A d v a n c e m e n t o f T e a c h in g , 1926. Council on Dental Therapeutics. In fact 2. N . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1910, p . 16. the contributions o f the Council would 3. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1922, p. 68. 4. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1924, p. 40. have been greatly limited were it not for 5. N . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1919, p . 23. the continuing support over the years by 6. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1923, p . 120. 7. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1924, p. 186. the Board of Trustees, the secretary of 8. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1926, p. 64. the Association, the editor and t h e j o u r 9. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1927, p. 93, 174. n a l , and numerous other Association 10. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1927, p. 366. 11. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1928, p. 277 agencies and members of the Central 12. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1929, p. 175. Office staff. Through their generous co 13. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1930, p. 35. operation with the Council, the contribu 14. R îck e rt, U . G . T h e C o u n c i l o n D e n ta l T h e r a p e u tic s . J . A . D . A . 21:808 M a y 1934. tions of the American Dental Association 15. A . D . A . T r a n s a c t io n s 1932, p. 145. 16. B u lle tin . C o u n c i] o n D e n ta l T h e r a p e u t ic s 1:1, 1930. have been a major factor in the notice 17. A . D . A . , B u re a u o f P u b lic In fo r m a t io n , C o u n c il o n able improvement in dental therapeutics D e n ta l T h e r a p e u t ic s a n d C o u n c i l o n L e g is la t io n . A m e r which has occurred over the past three ic a n D e n ta l A s s o c i a t io n st a te m e n t o n d e n t ifr ic e a d v e r t is in g c la im s . J . A . D . A . 57:430 S e p t.; 546 O c t . ; 745 N o v . 1958. decades.