Introduction

  

               

It is generally believed that the art of dentistry have been in existence since time immemorial. People who suffer from oral pain and discomfort had to seek for remedies to obtain immediate relief. In the Philippines, dental work had been performed even before and during the Spanish regime.

Before the time of the American occupation of the Philippine Islands, dentistry in the country, however crude it may be, was being done during the early times, by the herbolarios (herbman) or the tribe chieftains and practitioners referred to as “sacamuelas” or tooth pullers, and later on by the so-called cirujano ministrantes or practicantes and further known as cirujano dentista.

Practice of dentistry during the Spanish Regime, was not a legally established profession for there was no statute promulgated by the Spanish Government, nor any Royal Decree from Spain which was enforced in the Islands, governing the practice of dentistry, so that any person capable of extracting teeth, could perform as such with no liability, nor be answerable for unlawful dental practice. This liberal practice could be detrimental and harmful to the general health and welfare of the people, hence the need of a law to govern and regulate the legal practice of the art.

 Law is defined as “a rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power in a state, commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.” It is a rule prescribed by the supreme power.

 Knowing the importance and need of having the dental practice under state regulation, the American Military occupation authorities took steps to place these practitioners under the jurisdiction of the Government.

Accordingly, the military authorities required all unregistered dental practitioners who desire to continue practicing dentistry to pass an examination before a board established by the Provost Martial-General of the City of Manila, vested in him on August 2, 1899 by the Military Governor of the Philippine Islands. The requirement marked the beginning of the trend toward state regulation of the practice of Dentistry in the country.