Early film showcased everything from horror to zany comedy to ... dental education films. Yes, that's right, one of the uses of early silent film was to educate children on proper dental hygiene! One of the first films of its kind, Tommy Tucker's Tooth (1922) was produced by none other than Walt... CONTINUE READING
To celebrate Black History Month, let's shine a spotlight on this unsung groundbreaking woman. Biographical information was in short supply, but The New York Age, an African-American newspaper, featured Dr. Gertrude E. Curtis prominently in its society pages. [caption id="attachment_37621"... CONTINUE READING
Tuesday afternoon trivia: Name two game-changing women who made history in Lawrence, Kansas. You're on your game if you guessed Dr. Lucy Hobbs Taylor, the first woman to earn a dental degree in the U.S., or Flora E. Richardson Coleman, the first woman to complete the curriculum and graduate from... CONTINUE READING
America's largest privately-owned dental distributor has a surprise in store for all who visit its home office situated in the rolling hills of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Neatly tucked amidst the Benco Dental CenterPoint East distribution center and office complex: a fine dental museum. The... CONTINUE READING
During the early 19th century, infant mortality rate in Britain was 25%. The rates in the U.S. were probably not much better. One of the "illnesses" that parents were warned about was something every child goes through - teething. The Dental Cosmos (and many other dental authorities) advocated... CONTINUE READING
Meet one of the original models of women trying to "have it all". In 1868 Louisa May Alcott blazed a new trail for authors of literature for children as the writer of Little Women, but she is known for much more than penning moralistic tales for girls. If you envision this author as a quiet young... CONTINUE READING
Would you believe that a dentist invented that favorite sugary food of the local fair: cotton candy? It's true! A dentist named William Morrison created it in 1897 with help from candy maker John C. Warton. Originally called "Fairy Floss," Dr. Morrison and Mr. Warton debuted their concoction at... CONTINUE READING
"Doctors take it! Patients Love it! All Desire it!" So says an advertisement for a Hazleton, Pennsylvania doctor's office from the 1873 Wilkes-Barre city directory, proclaiming that the doctor uses laughing gas in the painless extraction of teeth. What is laughing gas, how did it earn its name,... CONTINUE READING
As someone who loves history, I'm always looking to check out a new museum. Just ask my friends, most of my vacations revolve around visits to museums and historic sites. If it's old, chances are, I want to go see it. Now that I'm the unofficial curator of Benco Dental's dental museum (schedule a... CONTINUE READING
Our first installment of "Everything Old Is New Again" featured such dental powerhouses as Johnson & Johnson and Hu-Friedy, but the list was far from comprehensive. I was surprised to find that more than a few dental companies have been in existence for several generations. Below are a few more... CONTINUE READING