Anatomists: The Basis of Surgery

ABSTRACT

A foundation of any medical field, including dentistry, is built upon anatomy. The anatomical sciences, particularly related to dentistry, have a rich history dating back thousands of years. This chapter proceeds through the relevant history of anatomy as it pertains to the practice of dental surgery, starting with the earliest anatomists and their findings through the earliest technologies such as the discovery of X-rays and their use in dental practice and proceeding through present time as we explore the importance of technology in current dental practice and education. This chapter briefly touches on the history of the sphenoid bone as it has an intimate relationship with the practice of dentistry. A brief history of dental anatomy education is also covered, up until the online COVID era, and how anatomy educators are able to utilize advancing technology to better educate the next generation of dental surgeons. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.