Anniversary celebration honors supporters, highlights educational initiatives
The National Museum of Dentistry celebrated its 14th anniversary on June 4 with an exhibit opening and preview of new outreach initiatives. The annual celebration honors supporters and friends who help the Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, in its mission to celebrate the history the dentistry and to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health in a healthy life.
“We’ve made great strides in educating the public about good oral health through the museum and its outreach,” said National Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “We’re looking forward to creating more exciting exhibits and programs that will reach new audiences and make a difference in how people think about their smiles.”
The ribbon was cut on a new exhibit that showcases some of the most technologically advanced dental 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 enhance overall oral health. The Operatory of the Future is made possible through the support Benco Dental.
Guests could also see the mace and torch from the American College of Dentists, historic symbols of the nation’s oldest honorary organization for dentists, on long-term loan from the American College of Dentists.
The Museum previewed Get MouthPower!, a new web site that will share unique oral health messages for adults. This new source of information will be a fun, interactive, and east-to-navigate program featuring exciting tools to help adults have a healthy mouth for life, with a special emphasis in the mouth-body connection. This project is made possible by Colgate-Palmolive.
New educational outreach initiatives launched this past year include the conversion of the popular online oral health education program for children, www.MouthPower.org, into a MouthPower CD-ROM packaged with user-friendly tips to help children discover the power of a healthy smile. MouthPower Online has been used around the world, and the CD-ROM format will make it possible for dentists and hygienists to use the program in a dental office or clinic setting. This project is made possible by United Concordia Companies, Inc.
Your Spitting Image Online was also launched this year. From CSI to the real world, this interactive web site unlocks the mysteries of the body through online experiments and classroom activities on forensics, bioengineering and saliva for middle- and high-school teachers. This project is made possible by the Patterson Foundation.
The Museum also honored outgoing board of visitors members Dr. Stanley Block, Dr. Robert Ferris, and Terry Smith, as well as Elza Dunning, who acted as the Museum’s Interim Director in 2009 and is retiring after five years on the museum staff. She has been involved with the Board of Visitors of the Museum since its founding.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DENTISTRY
See amazing teeth feats, marvel at George Washington’s choppers, sing along to vintage toothpaste commercials, and discover fascinating hands-on exhibitions about the power of a healthy smile. Enjoy field trips, home school days, special events, and more. An Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, this one-of-a-kind museum is located at 31 South Greene Street, a short walk from the Inner Harbor. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and students with ID, $3 for children age 3-19; and free for age 2 & under and active duty military & immediate family. Open Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday 1–4 p.m. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and major holidays. Call 410/706-0600 or visit www.smile-experience.org.
