Advancing Dental Care: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Directions in Modern Dentistry

Abstract

Dentistry traces its origins to ancient civilizations, where rudimentary techniques were used to address oral health issues (Woelber et al., 2022). Early evidence of dental care can be seen in ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Mesopotamian cultures, where tooth extractions, herbal remedies, and rudimentary drills were employed (Ansari, 2021). During the Middle Ages, dentistry was often practiced by barbers, who combined tooth extractions with other basic surgical procedures (Lazakatkhon, 2023). It wasn’t until the 18th and 19th centuries that dentistry began evolving into a distinct medical field, with the establishment of the first dental schools and the invention of modern tools.  These historical developments laid the foundation for today’s advanced practices, emphasizing the necessity of continual innovation to meet the growing demands of oral health care (Bernardi et al., 2022).