A visit to the dentist has never been so fun

Our friends and colleagues at the ADAQ invite you to engage with their newest endeavour – a Museum of Dentistry. This piece comes from the Museum’s Project Officer, Alessandra Boi.


Discover the real i…DENTity of the dental profession in Queensland at the Australian Dental Association Queensland’s Museum of Dentistry.

Step in an early 1900s dental surgery, with genuine equipment and furniture from those years. 

Learn more about the history of denture making and casting of crowns, including the Five dentures display, showcasing the evolution of prosthodontics techniques 1600s onwards, from animal bones to plastics.

Admire ornate foot-pedal drills, early x-ray equipment, a beautiful swan-armed dental chair from the early 1800s, and many examples of beautiful – and barbaric – extraction keys…

The new ADAQ Museum of Dentistry, nicknamed MoD, is arguably Queensland’s first dental ‘cabinet of curiosities’.

Items on show at ADAQ museum
From the collection of the ADAQ Museum of Dentistry

It is reflection on past experiences in dentistry and oral health, from the dental professionals’ perspective and the patient experiences. Most importantly, the future goal is to use it as a platform for communicating about oral health with the wider public of all ages.

MoD is currently open by appointment, and feedback received through these private openings, with different future visitors personae, young and older, has so far been overwhelmingly positive. 

Visitors’ reactions so far have highlighted an appetite for more oral health information delivered in fun ways, and a willingness to interact with the beauty and craftsmanship of old dentistry: for example, the desire to sit on the old [dental] chairs (you can’t for safety reasons). Many reported experiencing strong emotions linked to the traditionally gruesome, or perhaps bad memories.

Work continues towards attracting the wider public. This means making the exhibition more accessible and interactive, developing educational programs for schools, and fleshing out a budding program of temporary exhibits.

Future programs will explore themes such as dentistry’s ‘then and now’ (e.g.: denture flasks vs 3-d printing, Indigenous practices) and ‘here and there’, i.e., exploring cultural differences in dentistry.

Another future exhibit in the pipeline will explore the little-known creative streak many dentists share that sees them often involved in artistic pursuits in wood carving, miniature work, and jewellery making.

Meanwhile, most of the object collections are now available to the public online through the cataloguing platform eHive. A history blog is also on the ADAQ website.

To arrange a visit to MoD or to contact the Committee: adaq@adaq.com.au or call 07 3252 9866.

 


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