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Edward Tull-Warnock is recognised as one of Britain’s first Black professional dentists, qualifying in 1912. We want you to join us in celebrating his life and career in Black History Month.
From family records and recollections, we know that Edward took his work very seriously and had pride in his professionalism. He started his training at the Glasgow Dental Hospital in 1906 and is described as having been an outstanding student. He went on to study anesthesia at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and graduated with a Licentiate in Dental Surgery (LDS) in 1910. He is first entered onto the Dentist Register in 1913.
We do know from family papers that Edward believed in the preventative approach. He strongly advocated the importance of diet in relation to good dental health. He recognised that the ‘modern’ invention of confectionery was a major contributor to poor dental health. He also promoted the benefits of simple good regular dental hygiene, combined with routine checks, as important preventative measures.
He was a firm believer that the cost of regular dental check-ups was likely to be less than the eventual cost of extraction, fillings or making plates, perhaps an indicator of his later support for a National Health Service. One of Edward’s recollections was that children would be sent to his surgery with sixpence and a message from their parents to extract as many teeth as sixpence would allow.
