Operatory of the Future exhibit
A new exhibit opening showcases some of the most technologically advanced treatment systems available for dental offices. The Operatory of the Future features cutting-edge dental technology—from digital X-rays that expose patients to less radiation to foot-operated computers—that improve the quality of procedures, reduce patients’ time in the office, and improve oral health. Tomorrow’s Dental Office…Today is made possible through the support Benco Dental, the largest privately owned, full-service distributor of dental supplies, dental equipment, dental consulting & equipment services in the United States.
“The Operatory of the Future exhibit gives us an opportunity to feature some of the latest advances in dental care, showing how far the techniques of modern dentistry have come and their positive impact on the public,” said National Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Jonathan Landers.
Dentistry has changed dramatically over time. Visitors can literally stroll through dentistry’s past and peer into its future in the galleries of the National Museum of Dentistry, from the hand-forged iron tools of the early American dentist on horseback to the 19th-century office of Father of Dentistry G.V. Black to the “cutting-edge” dental equipment available today. The Museum shows how the dental care has evolved and oral health has improved through the ages.
“We were honored to be selected to put together the Operatory of the Future exhibit for the National Museum of Dentistry,” said Benco Dental President Charles Cohen. “It’s an exciting venture, bringing dental technology to the general public.”
The Operatory of the Future features:
- Dental operatory equipment from A-dec that was developed to optimize patient ease and comfort in the treatment room while enabling dentists to perform more efficient dentistry.
- The A-dec 500 dental chair, featuring a slim headrest and backrest to give the dentist more legroom under the chair. For the patient, the anatomically formed backrest and seat cushion reduce pressure points.
- The A-dec 5580 treatment console and storage unit, made of water-resistant materials to allow for the efficient storage and delivery of supplies while providing a flat-panel monitor, pivoting work surface and assistant’s instrumentation.
- The PaX-Duo3D Cone Beam CT unit from Vatech, featuring switching technology for digital panoramic radiographs or CT scans. The unit has dedicated sensors for each system and an imbedded camera for proper patient positioning.
- The LAVA Chairside Oral Scanner from 3M ESPE, a digital impression system that allows the dentist to both capture and view continuous 3D images, as well as create precise digital impressions. The benefits of digital impressions include increased patient comfort and decreased seating times.
- The SP Newtron LED advanced piezoelectric device from Acteon, which uses ultrasonic vibrations and an array of tips for tooth cleaning, root canal procedures, periodontal surgeries and cavity preparation. The LED lights provide illumination for procedures in the back of the mouth.
- The SoproLIFE (light induced fluorescence evaluator), an intraoral camera and cavity detection device in one. Switching to blue LEDs allows the dentist to see variations in the health of a tooth’s dentin, which can aid in decay detection and decay removal during treatment.
- The MiniLED Autofocus 2 dental material curing light from Acteon that automates the curing process through a complex telemetry system.
- The Cleankeys keyboard, featuring a flat surface, which can be wiped down and easily disinfected.
- This Snapshot X-ray sensor from Instrumentarium Dental, providing the latest in digital intraoral radiology technology. It captures X-rays via a digital sensor rather than on film, providing patients with less radiation and dentists with enhanced diagnostic tools.
- The SIROLaser Advance from Sirona, providing preset therapy programs for laser applications in the fields of periodontics, endodontics, surgery and pain relief.
- The SWERV3 Magnetostrictive Ultrasonic Scaler from Hu-Friedy, delivering a full range of power for efficiently removing calculus on the teeth while still providing patient comfort.
- The SmartLite PS by Dentsply, used by the dental team to cure a variety of dental products ranging from cements and adhesives to composites.
- The NOMAD Pro handheld X-ray unit by Aribex, the first for intraoral use. The unit’s light weight and rechargeability allow for its use on humanitarian missions in remote areas and for dental forensic identification following mass disasters. The internal shielding and external backscatter shield protect the operator, making it extremely safe to use.
- The Dental R.A.T., a foot-operated computer mouse and keyboard for hands-free computer use. Developed by a frustrated hygienist to allow for single-person periodontal charting, the unit has become even handier as more patient information is recorded and stored digitally.
The Operatory of the Future is made possible through the support of Benco Dental.
Tooth Time for Tots - first Fridays at 2 p.m.
Tooth Time for Tots, a new monthly drop-in program for toddlers and their families, features stories, play and hands-on activities. Each program is 30 minutes and is included with regular Museum admission ($7 for adults; $5 for seniors; $3 for kids 3-18; free for age 2 & under and active duty military & immediate family).
“Smart smiles start young,” said National Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “This new program teachers toddlers and their families skills that they will use for a lifetime.”
July 2: Your Daily Routine - Meal time, bath time, nap time, tooth-brushing time—these are things we do every day. Read the book “I Know Why I Brush My Teeth” and explore daily routines.
August 6: Let’s Eat! - Explore the food pyramid through hands-on play, song and sorting. Read “We Eat Food That’s Fresh.”
September 3: A Visit to the Dentist - Help kids understand what happens at the dentist office through observation, dress up, play, and watching Dudley Visits the Dentist. Read “Going to the Dentist.”
October 1: Animal Teeth - Animals use teeth to bite and chew! Explore the wonderful world of animal teeth both big and small through hands-on play, dress up and a craft. Read “Brush Your Teeth Please.”
November 5: The Tooth Fairy - Losing a tooth means a visit from the Tooth Fairy! Explore the world of the Tooth Fairy and read “What Do the Fairies Do With All Those Teeth?”
December 3: Written on Your Face: Emotions - Happy, sad, glad and mad. Our mouth can tell others what mood we are in. Children explore moods and see how to read facial expressions through objects, play and a craft. Read “A Good Day” and discover how bad days can turn into good days!
January 7: People in My Community - Who do you see in your community? Teachers, police, postal workers and dentists are some of the people you find in a town. Dress up, play and explore. What do you want to be when you grow up? Read “What Does a Dentist Do?”
American College of Dentists’ mace and torch on view
The mace and torch of the American College of Dentists, the oldest national honorary organization for dentists, is now on display on long-term loan. Assembled to preserve the historic symbols of the founding of the College, the exhibit features the gold-plated mace and torch that have been used in membership ceremonies for nearly 70 years, as well as an American College of Dentists’ Fellowship pin, key, and rosette. Also on view is the William J. Gies Award, which recognizes College Fellows who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the profession.
“We are honored to have the mace and torch on view at the National Museum of Dentistry,” said American College of Dentists’ Executive Director Dr. Stephen Ralls. “They represent an important historical link to key leaders of dentistry from the early 20th century onward.”
The American College of Dentists is the oldest national honorary organization for dentists. It was founded to elevate the standards of dentistry, encourage graduate study, and grant Fellowship to those who have done meritorious work. Membership in the American College of Dentists is by invitation only. There are more than 7,400 Fellows. Fellows are selected based on their contributions to organized dentistry, oral health care, dental research, dental education, the profession, and society. Long regarded as the “conscience of dentistry,” its mission is to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry.
“The National Museum of Dentistry preserves and celebrates the history of the dental profession,” said the Museum’s Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “This is the perfect place to showcase these fragile and magnificent historic symbols of such a respected organization in dentistry.”
When the American College of Dentists was founded in 1920, a symbolic light—the torch—was designated to signify the role of the College as a source of enlightenment and guidance. The torch on view at the Museum, made in 1939 by the Gorham Silver Company of Providence, Rhode Island, served as a symbol of office. The fluted staff, more than two feet long, is made of gold plated bronze and decorated with ribbons engraved with the names of the founders of the American College of Dentists.
The large mace on view was also made in 1939 by the Gorham Silver. It is more than two feet long and made of gold plated bronze and silver. The base is adorned with faux amethysts, diamonds and emeralds. Crafted in the form of a caduceus symbolizing the medical professions, it includes the engraved names of 20 of the most eminent contributors to dentistry. The dome, with figures of two Egyptians holding the ends of an open scroll, is supported by depictions of eleven Egyptian scholars and a modern graduate.
