Impression 5 Science Center hosts exhibit
Your Spitting Image, a traveling exhibit from the National Museum of Dentistry, is on view at the Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing, Michigan October 2, 2009 through August 2010. Find out how forensic scientists use dental records and DNA analysis to solve real missing person cases, discover the telling secrets revealed by saliva, and find out how your mouth is a window to health for your body.
Dr. Jane Grover of Michigan, a member of the National Museum of Dentistry’s National Advisory Committee, was instrumental in drumming up support in the local dental community to bring Your Spitting Image to Lansing. “BringingYour Spitting Image to Michigan teaches young people the value of oral health and might encourage future dental careers,” said Dr. Grover. “When a catalyst like this brings folks together, the dental profession benefits—-and so do patients.”
The exhibition was made possible at the Impression 5 Science Center thanks to the Michigan Dental Association Foundation, the Delta Dental Foundation, the Michigan Chapter of the International College of Dentists, the Central District Dental Society, and the Jackson District Dental Society.
Your Spitting Image features three sections that explore the science of dentistry and oral health:
Forensics: Solving Mysteries - Learn how forensic dentists help law enforcement identify missing persons and how dental radiographs are used to identify crime victims. See how DNA samples from a toothbrush are used to make identifications, use replica skulls to determine gender and ethnicity, and chart the dental characteristics of an unknown victim.
Saliva: A Remarkable Fluid - See how much saliva we each produce in a day, and open wide and look in the mirror to see where saliva comes from. Peer under a magnifying glass to identify the molecules in saliva and find out what they do, and discover how saliva is being used as a diagnostic tool. Plus, dare to sniff bad breath and good breath - then learn the right way to brush, floss and rinse for a healthy mouth.
Bioengineering: Making a New You - Discover how the science of bioengineering is changing how we take care of our teeth. Trace the evolution of tooth replacement since 2,500 B.C., learn how adult stem cells are being used to grow replacement teeth in the laboratory, and find the key to how salivary glands may be used to cure diseases.
Impression 5 is an exciting and interactive science center for children of all ages to explore, discover and experience. Exhibits include Don’t Make Me Sick, Connecting with Chemistry, Bubbles, Throwing Things, Make Your Own Music, Water, Simple Machines, Light and Color, Electricity & Magnetism, and the traveling exhibit Your Spitting Image. After exploring the exhibits, make your own slime (offered daily) and take it home with you! For more souvenirs, shop ‘til you drop in the Science Store. Impression 5 also offers overnight adventures, after-hours facility use, birthday packages, group visits and weeklong day camps.Impression 5 Science Center is located at 200 Museum Drive in downtown Lansing, Michigan. Hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. For more details, call 517/485-8116, ext. 32 or visit http://www.impression5.org.
Your Spitting Image is the latest in a series of successful traveling exhibitions created by the National Museum of Dentistry, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the nation’s official museum of the dental profession. These innovative traveling exhibitions have reached more than 2 million people at children’s and science museums throughout North America. Your Spitting Image was most recently on view at the American Dental Association headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.
Your Spitting Image was developed with grants from Patterson Dental Foundation, Johnson & Johnson Consumer & Personal Products Worldwide, Planmeca Inc, Dr. Leslie W. Seldin and Dr. Constance P. Winslow, Dr. Laurence E. Johns, and Dr. Robert J. Wilson.
