A short history of the Royal Odonto Chirurgical Society of Scotland.
In the mid-19th Century, the practice of dentistry in Britain was unregulated and chaotic. Organised training was non-existent, and the public was unable to be assured of satisfactory, ethical treatment. A group of Scottish practitioners, led by John Smith, an Edinburgh surgeon, established the Odonto Chirurgical Society of Scotland in 1867 as an ethical dental society promoting education and regulation of the emerging profession. The Society has prospered over the years. It was granted the title "Royal" on the occasion of its centenary in 1967, and approaches its 150th year with confidence.