John Greenwood (dentist)
Encyclopedia
Dr. John Greenwood was George Washington
's personal dentist
and was responsible for designing Washington's famous dentures, which were not wood but carved from hippopotamus
tusk
. He invented the first known "dental foot engine" in 1790.
He was the son of Isaac Greenwood
, the first native-born American dentist.
A letter from John Greenwood to Lt. General George Washington on his denture charges, dated 1799, is in the A.D. Black History of Dentistry Collection at Northwestern University
.
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's personal dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
and was responsible for designing Washington's famous dentures, which were not wood but carved from hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
tusk
Tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth, usually but not always in pairs, that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canines, as with warthogs, wild boar, and walruses, or, in the case of elephants and narwhals, elongated incisors...
. He invented the first known "dental foot engine" in 1790.
He was the son of Isaac Greenwood
Isaac Greenwood
Professor Isaac Greenwood was the first Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard College....
, the first native-born American dentist.
A letter from John Greenwood to Lt. General George Washington on his denture charges, dated 1799, is in the A.D. Black History of Dentistry Collection at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
External links
- History of Dentistry at Dr. Juggles.
- Greenwood Family Crest