The Face
The face contains the organs of sight, smell, and food intake and is an outlet for expression of human emotions. It is “man’s presentation to the world”. The face distinguishes each human being and is a major source of identity as it is often adorned and decorated, and in all but a few cultures, is nakedly exposed socially. The face expresses the mood and is a strong component of “body language” as well as housing parts of the mechanism of speech for verbal communication. The lips and oral cavity are employed for the display of love and affection. The teeth, jaws, and face are highly personal and sensitive parts of the human anatomy from birth to senility. It is no small wonder, therefore, that dentistry, speech pathology, and the cosmetic industry constitute a force to rival the whole field of medicine and the rest of the health services.
- Robert M. Ricketts, DDS, MS, 1989
