“The Dental Laboratory” by: Durif Bedel. 19th century French School now displayed in the Musée Dentaire in Lyon, France.
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In honor of the 35th anniversary of the Health Science Center Dental School, the Dolph Briscoe Jr. Library and the P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library are sponsoring an exhibit called “Tools of the Trade,” which displays a selection of illustrations and artifacts from early dental practice. The exhibit, mounted by Pennie Borchers, special collections librarian, and Walter Creech and Karen Eads, library assistants, is located in the lecture hall foyer.

This exhibit is an expansion from an earlier exhibit researched and mounted by Pat Brown, former special collections library assistant.

Among the interesting images are:
• An instrument set belonging to Queen Victoria
• A 19th century dental chair
• A 1925 sample book of denture rubbers
• Reproductions of paintings from the 17th through 20th centuries
• Pictures of early microscopes and a lamp for oral illumination, made in Switzerland in the 19th century before the use of electricity
• A cast of a skull displaying lead and brass denture models made to analyze jaw articulations and demonstrate various types of fractures

Some examples of the many artifacts exhibited are:
• Ceramic toothpaste pots
• The manual chalk carving exercise used in the Dental Aptitude Testing Program
• A manikin head used by dental students to develop skills in restorative dentistry techniques
• Selenite “roses,” used to make stone casts

"The Dentist" by: Johann Joachim Kaendler. The original figurine was created in the 18th century in Meissen, Germany.

The Health Science Center community is encouraged to view the exhibit, which also includes rare books about dentistry. Many of the images and artifacts were lent by Dental School faculty to create the exceptional exhibit.

The Library expresses sincere thanks to the following for contributing time, images and artifacts to the exhibit:

A. Ray Dent, director of development in the Dental School and main coordinator for the exhibit; Joseph M. Berrong, D.D.S., chairman of general dentistry; James B. Summitt, D.D.S., chairman of restorative dentistry; Thomas D. Marshall, M.S.Ed., D.D.S., associate professor of restorative dentistry; James M. Startzell, D.M.D., assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery; and the endodontics department.

For more information, contact Borchers: (210) 567-2469 or Borchers@uthscsa.edu.