Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, in France and is the inventor of the Braille reading system. Louis was only three when he lost his sight after an accident while playing with tools in his father's harness shop. Braille later received a scholarship and attended the National Institute for Blind Children in Paris. At the time, students who were blind read by tracing raised print letters with their fingers. It was a very slow process and most students were not able to master the technique. When Braille was introduced to the system, he recognized its merits. Louis later decided to spend the three years improving and building upon it.

Unfortunately, Louise died in 1852 only two years before he was able to witness the official adoption of a Braille curriculum by France's Royal Institute for the Blind Youth. By 1916, many schools in the United States were teaching Braille to their blind students, as well.

You can easily recognize and celebrate the importance of this reading system in honor of Braille Day:

• Keep key patient oral health resources available in Braille so you are ready to accommodate blind patients.
• Learn about famous people who are blind (Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Andrea Bocelli) and their accomplishments.
• Look for Braille on ATMs, elevators, calculators, and signs.
• Share your knowledge on social media.