Heritage Malta is breaking new ground in its series of lectures by introducing another subject: the medical history of our islands, more precisely, the history of dentistry practice in Malta. The lecture, entitled “19th Century Dental Personalities” will be given by Prof. George Camilleri at Heritage Malta’s Head Office in Merchants Street, Valletta on Tuesday 12 December at 6pm.

Prof. Camilleri is a dental surgeon and the former Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the University of Malta.

His interests go beyond the practice of dentistry and at present, he is carrying out research on the dental remains from the Phoenician, Punic and Roman eras.

This project is in connection with the new permanent display at the National Museum of Archaeology which Heritage Malta is planning to open to the public next year.

As a member of the Lindsay Society for the Study of the History of Dentistry, Prof. Camilleri has been carrying out research on the history of dentistry in Malta and has published articles on the University of Malta first dentistry graduate.

At present, his main interest is the development of dentistry in Malta in the 19 century for which he has carried out archival research in Malta and the United Kingdom.

Prof. Camilleri’s lecture will focus on Maltese, British and continental dentists and their interaction with the authorities in the changing socio-political climate of the 19th century. The lecture will be in English and admission is free of charge. The general public is invited to attend.