Madeleine-Françoise Calais facts for kids

Madeleine-Françoise Calais (born around 1713 or 1714 – active until at least 1740) was a pioneering French dentist. She made history by becoming the very first woman to receive a special license as a "master dentist" from the Surgical Society of Paris. This was a huge achievement for women in her time!

Her Early Life and Training

Madeleine-Françoise was born in Paris, France. When she was about 23 years old, in 1737, she began her journey to become a dentist. She became a student of a well-known dentist in Paris named Claude Jacquier de Géraudly. After three years of hard work and learning, she finished her studies in 1740.

Becoming a Licensed Dentist

A Big Step for Women

In 1740, when Madeleine-Françoise was around 27, she wanted to open her own dental practice. To do this, she needed a special license from the Surgical Society of Paris. This society was a very important group that controlled who could practice surgery and dentistry.

She took all the required tests and showed she knew a lot about dentistry. She even had great recommendations from people she had helped. However, the Surgical Society was unsure about giving her a license. Even though there wasn't a rule saying women couldn't be dentists, no woman had ever been given this license before! It was a new and challenging idea for them.

Support and Success

The Surgical Society decided to ask for advice from important people, including Guillaume-François Joly de Fleury from the Paris Parlement (which was like a high court). Some powerful people supported her, including a member of Parliament named Pelletier and Gabriel Bachelier, who worked for King Louis XV.

At first, the king's main surgeon, François Gigot de la Peyronie, was against her request. But he thought about it more and changed his mind. He realized that there were very few jobs that women were legally allowed to do. He believed that smart and hardworking women should have a chance to support themselves.

Because of this support, Madeleine-Françoise Calais was finally granted her license in 1740! She was able to open her own dental practice. She became quite successful, especially with women patients who likely felt more comfortable with a female dentist.

Madeleine-Françoise Calais is remembered as the first licensed female dentist in France. While there were other women who helped people with health issues in the 1700s, she was the first to get this official recognition in dentistry. It was a significant step forward for women in professional fields.