<div class="image-550">
<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-10/first-board-xm.webp" alt="Board of Dental Examiners" />
<div>
(Left to Right: Dr. Antonio Vergel de Dios, Dr. Robert T. Oliver and Dr. Wallace G. Skidmore)
</div>
</div>

<p>
This Act empowered the Commissioner of the Health, Major E.C. Carter of the United States Medical Department, to appoint the members of the first Board of Dental Examiners. 
</p>
<p>
Accordingly, he named Robert T. Oliver, DDS, Antonio Vergel de Dios, DDS and Wallace G. Skidmore, DDS to this board on February 17, 1903, in the office of Dr. Skidmore, at 76 Escolta, at 5:00 pm. At this meeting, Dr. Vergel de Dios (only Filipino member) was designated as temporary chairman. At that first meeting, Dr. Oliver was elected president, after which Dr. Vergel de Dios turned over the chair to Dr. Oliver and continued with the election of a secretary-treasurer which was given to Dr. Skidmore.
</p>
<p>
Earlier, the dental profession received its professional status as a field of practice during the American regime when the Board of Dental Examiners was created by the Provost Marshall General on August 2, 1899.
</p> 


<p>
As early as the Spanish times, dentistry was practiced in the Philippines. However, dental work, consisting mainly of extracting teeth, was not recognized as a special course or profession then. There was neither a law nor any Royal Decree from Spain governing the practice of dentistry. Thus, there was no need for a regulatory body.
</p>
<p>
On February 5, 1915, the Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 2462 which provided new regulations for the examination of dentists and the practice of dentistry.
</p>


<p>
Reference:  
</p>
<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
Philippine News Agency archives
</li>
<li>
http://philippinedentistry.blogspot.com/
</li>
</ol>



January 10, 1903: the Board of Dental Examiners was reorganized