Dental disease in South African history.

A brief history of the close association of the founding of colonial South Africa with scorbutic dental disease and its prevention is outlined. The impact of civilian dental disease upon British army recruits at the end of the 19th century laid the foundation for military dental corps in the 20th century. The deployment of the first dental field officer by the British army during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) demonstrates a further South African contribution to dental history.