The father of dentistry is generally considered to be Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon who lived from 1679 to 1761. Fauchard is credited with being the first person to write a comprehensive book on dentistry, called The Surgeon Dentist. In this book, he described in detail many of the dental procedures that are still used today, such as the use of dental instruments, the treatment of tooth decay, and the construction of dentures. He is also credited with developing the concept of preventative dentistry.