Key Points
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Provides a 'roadmap' of how we got to where we are in dentistry today, together with a compass to future trends.
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Advises that the best history is that recalled by those who made it.
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Suggests that if you don't know the recent history of dentistry, present events lack context and importance.
Abstract
Witness seminars attempt to get behind the scenes of advances and developments to find out what really happened at certain times; they are not intended to provide a detailed history of events. This paper presents highlights from the five John McLean Archive witness seminars, providing an instructional collection of memories and insights into the world of dentistry in the UK since the late 1940s. It is concluded that future change will be seen as a welcome constant to be used for the benefit of the profession and the patients and communities it serves.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are most grateful to all those who participated and made the necessary arrangements for the John McLean Witness Seminars. The assistance of Edgar Gordon, Tony Griffin MBE, Rosemarie Khan OBE, Anthony Kravitz OBE, Professor David McGowan, Stephen Simmons MBE, Michael Watson OBE and Professor David Watts in reviewing and verifying details included in this paper before submission for consideration for publication is acknowledged also. The John McLean Witness Seminar project was a great team effort, hopefully worthy of the exceptional person who made it all possible – Dr John W. McLean OBE.
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Wilson, N., Gelbier, S. Dental witness seminars: dentistry in the UK since 1948. Br Dent J 220, 133–142 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2016.96
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2016.96
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