Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry facts for kids
| Established | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1011 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2229 |
| Collection size | 15,000 |
The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry is a special place in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's a museum that shows the amazing history of dentistry. The University of Michigan School of Dentistry runs this museum. It's one of only a few museums in the world focused on teeth and dental care! You can visit it through the main clinic entrance.
Contents
Discovering Dental History
The Sindecuse Museum opened in 1991. Dr. Gordon H. Sindecuse, a university graduate, provided money to start it. He graduated from the U-M School of Dentistry in 1921. That same year, the museum hired its first part-time expert, called a curator.
How the Collection Started
The museum's collection of items began much earlier. For many years, people at the School of Dentistry saved important things. These included equipment, photos, and documents. They wanted to preserve the history of dentistry. They also saved items about the dental school itself.
Museum's New Home
The museum first started in the Kellogg Institute Building. It was on the first floor and in the lobby. In 1995, plans began to make the museum bigger. This was part of a larger update to the Kellogg Building.
After two years of building, the museum reopened on September 8, 2000. A new atrium was added. This open space replaced an old courtyard. The courtyard used to connect the Kellogg and Dental Buildings.
The expansion also brought many improvements. Five new display cases were added in a nearby hallway. A special room was built to store the collection. This room has climate control to protect old items. Modern storage cabinets and mobile racks were also installed.
Who Works at the Museum?
Today, the museum has two full-time staff members. One is the curator, who takes care of the collection. The other is a collections coordinator. Many part-time students from the University of Michigan also help out. Jane Becker was the first curator. After her came Tammy Szatkowski-Reeves. Shannon O'Dell also served as curator. The current curator is Tamara Barnes.
What's in the Collection?
The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry has over 15,000 items! These items are all carefully listed in a catalog. About 15 percent of these items are on display at any one time.
Exploring Dental Technology
The museum's collection focuses on dental technology. It also shows the history of the dental profession. This is especially true for the United States and Michigan.
You can see artifacts from the 1700s to today. These include dental equipment like articulators. Articulators are tools that help dentists understand how teeth bite together. There's also equipment for making dentures. You can even see old dental X-ray items.
Everyday Dental Care
The museum also has historical oral hygiene items. This includes a collection of toothpaste and tooth powder. These items are on loan to the museum.
Special Exhibits
Some exhibits feature materials about Saint Apollonia. She is known as the patron saint of dentistry. There's also a collection of dentistry-themed children's books and toys. You can learn about the famous dentist Willoughby D. Miller. He was a graduate of the university.
The museum's collection includes some unique items. You might see toothbrushes with heads longer than two inches! There's also floss made from silk. And you can even find examination chairs grand enough for a king!
