Baltimore’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry
The Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, which opened in 1996, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution that is operated by the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. The museum’s extensive and fascinating collection includes thousands of items such as drills, extractors, antique mouthwash bottles, toothpaste tubes and antique dental chairs.
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore brush a giant set of teeth at the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is a detail of a mounted maxilla and mandible of a 6-8 year old child with the outer bone removed to show the underlying permanent tooth buds, circa 1867. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is a detail of the “motor mouth,” a device that simulates chewing for the testing of various dental products. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is an antique dental chair at the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is a detail of the Paige Chayes high-speed contra-angle handpiece drill, circa 1958. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore climb the stairs while looking at the “Tower of Chairs,” a display of antique dental chairs at the museum. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is the exterior of the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. The museum opened in 1996 and is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is a detail from a display of mouthwashes at the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore climb the stairs while looking at the “Tower of Chairs,” a display of antique dental chairs. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore walk past a display of toothbrushes at the University of Maryland museum. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Maazin, a first grader at Armistead Elementary School, uses a toothbrush on a giant set of teeth in the children’s area at the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore climb the stairs while looking at the “Tower of Chairs,” a display of antique dental chairs. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- This is a detail of a display of twentieth century amalgam restorations of various types at the University of Maryland’s Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- First graders from Armistead Elementary School in Baltimore walk past a display of tooth extractors on exhibit at the museum. Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun
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- This is a human skull and mandible with gold crowns and bridge work that was used as a teaching aid for dental students circa 1900. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- These are dentures made of hippopotamus ivory that were actually worn by George Washington and on display at the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
Children can dress up in a lab coat, sit in a real dental chair and use a giant toothbrush on an extra-large set of dentures. Visitors can even see a lower denture, worn by George Washington, which was crafted from hippopotamus ivory.
“The National Museum of Dentistry is one of the jewels of Baltimore,” said Dr. Richard Manski, DDS, the museum’s executive director. “We want to engage proactively with the community to bring children into the museum with the goal of encouraging them to think about dentistry as a potential career.”
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