The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, (founded February 1, 1840), is the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (D.D.S.), and is known as the first dental college in the world. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (BCDS),was chartered by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1840. Its co-founders, Drs. Horace H. Hayden and Chapin A. Harris have been both inducted in the Pierre Fauchard Academy Hall of Fame. Dr. Harris was the school's first dean and a professor of practical dentistry. Following the death of Dr. Hayden on January 25, 1844, he became the school second president. The College is still in existence today and is part of the University of Maryland. The establishment of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery is seen as one of the three crucial steps in the foundation of the dental profession in the United States. " A true profession is built upon a tripod: a formal organization, formal professional education, and a formal scientific literature. The United States was the leader in all three.