We are proud to announce that Dr. Scheer had the honor of being inducted into the prestigious Pierre Fauchard Academy on Saturday, October 7, 2023. However, what made this selection even more special is that his son, Dr. Brandon Scheer, was inducted at the same time. The Pierre Fauchard Academy seeks to recognize leaders in the field of dentistry as well as promoting future leaders. It was founded in 1936 in response to a growing intrusion of scientific literature by commercial interests, with the goal of fostering unadulterated dental research. Both Dr. Brick and Brandon Scheer are adamant in the desire for independent scientific literature.
Pierre Fauchard is known as the Father of Modern Dentistry. At the time of his birth in 1679 dentistry was done by barbers and “tooth-pullers” and consisted almost exclusively of removing painful teeth. Being a physician, Dr. Fauchard was dismayed that an important part of the human body was being ignored by the medical profession, with treatment left to non-professionals and charlatans. He began to systematically document and describe the structures of the oral cavity, and identified over 100 specific diseases of the mouth, which culminated in the publication of the first complete scientific description of dentistry, “The Surgeon Dentist”.
Some of the more interesting findings of Dr. Fauchard are:
- He suggested that the German tooth worm theory was mistaken in its explanation of dental decay. His observations through the microscope showed there was no evidence of worms.
- He said that dental decay came from acids produced when eating excessive amounts of sugar, and people should limit it in their diet.
- He proved that baby teeth have roots that dissolve from the body of the tooth when the permanent teeth erupt. Some dentists at Fauchard's time believed baby teeth didn't have roots because most of the teeth lost during childhood do not have roots still attached.
- He advocated placing dental fillings into decayed areas of a tooth, suggesting that amalgams like lead, tin and sometimes gold would be suitable materials. He also said that teeth should be cleaned periodically by a dentist.
- He recommended that the dentist should stand behind the patient to help them relax, and he introduced the concept of dentist's chair light.
Because of his success in treating dental disease as well as his publication of the first textbook devoted solely to dentistry, the French governing body passed laws in 1699 that specified necessary training before one could be licensed to practice dentistry.
We are proud of the leadership and integrity that the Scheer family of dentists have shown over the last 108 years, first in Wichita and now continuing in Denver.