[Oral and maxillofacial surgery in The Netherlands: from Esser until today]

In 2006, it was 50 years ago that the oral and maxillofacial surgery was officially recognized as a dental speciality in The Netherlands. During those five decades, oral and maxillofacial surgery significantly evolved, which is nicely reflected by the changes in the name of the scientific society supporting the speciality. Originally its name was The Netherlands Society for Oral Surgery and Surgical Prosthodontics, but in 1975 its name was changed into The Netherlands Society for Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery, and in 2006 into The Netherlands Society for Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Esser is considered to be the first oral and maxillofacial surgeon in The Netherlands. In The Netherlands, 2 schools of oral and maxillofacial surgery are recognized: the Utrecht School with Tjebbes as its founder and the Groningen School with Hut as its founder. Because of the 50th anniversary of the speciality, a thematic issue of the Dutch Journal of Dentistry offers a review of the current status of and expected future developments in oral medicine, head and neck oncology, maxillofacial traumatology, growth and development disorders of the maxillofacial skeleton, temporomandibular joint disorders and reconstructive surgery in The Netherlands.