The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry, its journal, Community Dental Health, and the origins of dental public health: a 50-year celebration.

This paper examines the founding and development of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry, 36 years after establishment of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and its achievements over 50 years. Especially important are its major role in national and other epidemiological surveys, establishment of NHS dental public health specialist and consultant posts, and its journal, Community Dental Health.