In the 18th century, Monsieur Fauchard, a French pharmacist, revolutionized dentures by perfecting the technique of creating rubber appliances through mouth impressions and adding baked porcelain teeth. This marked the beginning of a specialized field, driven by craftsmanship, patience, and an ongoing commitment to crafting more effective, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing dentures.
As dentistry classes were introduced in universities, a formal separation emerged between dentists, primarily focused on extractions, and technicians specializing in denture construction and fitting. While technicians continued their work, the dental profession advocated for regulatory changes in the delivery of dental healthcare services.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, dentists successfully influenced regulations, limiting oral work to themselves. Although this influenced legislation defining the scope of practice, it inadvertently laid the groundwork for the emergence of denturism.
Surprisingly, the concept of denturism started gaining traction globally, with its origins traced back to a New Zealand dental nursing program in 1921. In 1919, the Tasmanian Dental Act granted lawful permission to Denturists to take impressions and fit dentures, requiring a certificate of oral health from a dentist or medical practitioner.
In North America, the Alberta 1933 Health Amendment Act pioneered direct legislation for Denturism, later updated in 1961. In the U.S.A., the Denturist movement faced challenges from the powerful American Dental Association lobbyists. However, Denturists organized in 40 states and continued advocating for the legitimization of their profession.
In 1956, three visionary Denturists—Rolf Pfenniger, Hannes Stiebler, and Stephan Grabert—formed the INTERNATIONALE ARBEITSGEMEINSCHAFT der ZAHNPROTHETIKER (I.A.Z.), facing considerable opposition. Their efforts focused on dispelling monopoly concerns, educating policymakers and legislators, and emphasizing the importance of additional training and education for professional growth.
With the development and approval of international baseline competencies for Denturists' training and education in 1991, the I.A.Z. successfully moved denturism to the public policy agenda. Note: In September 1992, the I.A.Z., at its international conference, decided to amalgamate all three designations, I.A.Z., I.F.D. F.D.I. and to adopt as its official designation, International Federation of Denturists - I.F.D.
