A Brief History of the Academy

The Academy was founded in 1985 by two California dentists, Ed Arana and Gary Verigin. They had met the year before in a class featuring Reinhold Voll, MD. There, this German inventor of the diagnostic tool EAV (electroacupuncture according to Voll) spoke of a new field developing in Germany: biological dentistry. The practice was showing how illness can often be traced to oral-dental conditions, either as a cause or aggravating factor. It affirmed dentists as true medical specialists, not mere mechanics of teeth. German dentists were blending homeopathy, acupuncture and related remedies with standard clinical practice to help people support their bodies’ natural processes of self-healing.

This hit home with Drs. Arana and Verigin. Each had long been dissatisfied with the “one tooth dentistry” practiced by most American dentists—an approach that sees the teeth and oral tissues as isolated from the rest of the body. They knew it just didn’t correspond with human physiology. Alone, each had sought something better. Both wanted a more informed dentistry. They saw biological dentistry as fully accounting for the systemic nature of health and illness, and the body’s self-regulating ability. They knew they were not alone.

They often found each other’s company at seminars over the following months. One evening, after a class with German naturopath Andreas Marx, they talked about bringing more of the best German biological dentists to the US to teach them. Wanting to share this knowledge with the best American dentists, they dreamt of a global network of dentists committed to biological principles. They could share knowledge, technology and insight. They could establish standards of care. They could build a canon of legitimate scientific knowledge. And there would be strength in numbers.

That evening, the American Academy of Biological Dentistry was born. Dr. Arana soon traveled to Germany to meet some of the researchers at the fore of this emerging field. Most influential was Dr. Fritz Kramer. He was pleased to share his knowledge and moved by Arana’s passion. “Unfortunately,” said Kramer, “I cannot teach you everything in a single day!” So, in 1986, the Academy hosted its first seminar in Carmel, California. Dr. Kramer was joined by Dr. Jochen Gleditsch for sessions on oral acupuncture and mercury-related galvanism.

At first, meetings were held twice a year in Carmel. But as more practitioners turned to biological practice, participants increasingly came from around the world. Eventually, the Academy limited their meetings to one a year. Meetings were not held in 1991 and 1992, as board members had to focus on lawsuits that had been filed against individual dentists.

The Academy also strove to bring the best European research into English language print. Many notable scientific studies were translated for Focus, the Academy’s quarterly journal. Books, videos, charts and other educational materials also were made available.

At the 2005 meeting in Dallas, the Academy was renamed the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine, reflecting the group’s more global membership. The change also highlights the crucial role of collaboration in biological practice and the growing number of NDs, DCs, DOs, MDs and allied practitioners who understand the key role dental conditions play in systemic illness.

In the early days, Drs. Arana and Verigin spoke of Biological Dentistry as “dentistry for the 21st century.” We are now in the 21st century. Hopefully, through the continued growth of the IABDM and related organizations, their dream will be fully realized.

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