Dentistry Philippines

Excerpts from the thesis of Social Anthropology of Dental Health Education University of Sydney, Victor R. Valdez. When one mentions the Work of Dental operative or Dental Caregivers during the Spanish era, it immediately conjures tooth extraction associating with it pain, fear, anxiety and blood shed. Nothing is more abhorrent than this. We probably cannot lay the blame on the way of thinking & attitudes of the people since these are limits of the dental practitioners of the time. Tooth puller referred to as Sacamuelas are the traditional village healers. Which explains that dental procedures were mainly extractions. One can imagine that at the time their instruments consist simply of Boka y Pato duckbill like forceps in its primitive form referred as pla-is and the more dreaded instrument the mallet and chisel.

Questions were raised, by what standard and level of dental care we had relative of the standards of the period? Consider that there were no schools of dentistry, nor law, policies & guidelines regulating such practice. Towards the close of the Spanish occupation the authorities and the illustrados among others became aware of the pressing needs of a people getting better informed. For which the University of Santo Tomas in the mid 1800 has opened a special course The Cirujano Ministrante the equivalent of a male nurse. Graduates are taken to the San Juan de Dios Hospital to train further under the preceptorship to qualified medicos The Licenciado En Medicina trained at UST and other graduating in the course Doctor of Medicine from Europe. In addition to ministering to general medical needs of patient includes dental care and oral surgery. The Cirujano ministrante making close observation and under supervision of the medicos learned dental procedures then later operated in the communities. Much later the Spanish authorities imposed registration for those engaged in the practice of dentistry and to pay a fee for the privilege to practice. Authorities issued a Certificate of Registration which is called Patente. What is lacking is the mention of limits of the practice, policies requirements, guidelines and other particulars. Such as supervision and standards of practice.

It is perhaps coincidental that the Father of Dentistry recognized the world over is Pierre Fauchard and the first professionally trained to practice dentist dentist in the Philippines Monsieur M. Fetri are both Frenchmen. Ms. R. Fetri relocated his practice from Hong Kong establishing his clinic at corner Calle Barbosa and R. Hidalgo St. in Quiapo, Manila sometime in 1850. Since he is not well versed in prosthetic work, engaged the service of one Don Jose Arevalo better known as Kapitan Cheng Cheng who is adept in jewelry work and sculpture to assist him. Jose Arevalo reputedly can carve a set of teeth from a piece of ivory. He learned readily the intricacies of dental prosthetic work. Not long after Don Jose Arevalo put up his own clinic at Villalobos St. Quiapo, Manila. The partnership of Fetri and Don Jose Arevalo is dubbed as the beginning of dental practice in the Philippines.

Following the transfer of Sovereignty from Spain to the USA under the treaty of Paris. The Philippines was occupied by the Americans in 1898. There being no law, Royal Decree or FIAT that relates to the effective regulation of dental practice under Spain, The American Military Administration found it expedient to establish a registry of dental practice and qualify the current motley group of trained practicing dentist in the Islands 1899.