A Dentist's Journey: From Pulpit to Periodontist

John Mankey Riggs, a name not widely known today, was a pioneer in the dental field. Born in Connecticut, he initially set out to become a church minister. However, he switched paths and enrolled at Jefferson Medical College. After a year, he left the college and became an apprentice to dentist Horace Wells. Riggs' career took an interesting turn in 1844. After witnessing a public demonstration of nitrous oxide, Wells saw its potential for dental procedures. The next day, Wells inhaled the gas, and Riggs pulled one of his teeth. This event marked a significant milestone in dental history, as it was one of the first times surgery was performed under general anesthesia. Riggs gained fame for his work on periodontitis, a condition now known as "Riggs' disease. " He was so skilled that he was considered the first specialist periodontist. His patient list was impressive, including notable figures like Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. Twain even wrote about his experiences with Riggs in a humorous piece called "Happy memories of the dental chair. " Another famous patient was Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa, an opera singer and co-founder of the Parepa-Rosa English Opera Company. Riggs' contributions to dentistry were groundbreaking, and his legacy continues to influence the field today.