Dental instruments are high-tech, specialized and very effective, but they haven’t always been that way! Take a look at the sometimes-questionable tools of the past:

Celebrate with us this International Women’s Day as we recognize some of the groundbreaking women in American dentistry! There are far too many women who have made significant impacts on dentistry in America for us to list here, but we’ve tried to touch on some of the earliest pioneers.

Teeth can tell a lot about a person - even when they've been dead for thousands of fo years. Here are a few fascinating facts archeologists have dug up about teeth

Orthodontics feels like a fairly modern invention, but in fact the desire to straighten teeth and correct bites stretches back to ancient times.

Freeman was born to former slaves in 1846 in Washington, DC. At a young age, Freeman became an apprentice to local dentist Henry Bliss Noble. When he was old enough, Noble encouraged Freeman to apply to colleges to become a fully trained and certified dentist.

Composite and Amalgam are standard fillings these days, but centuries ago, dentist had to get a little more creative when treating tooth decay.

Dentistry in 1945 looked nothing like it does today – and this fascinating and somewhat prophetic 1945 Star Tribune article is proof.

Dentistry has been around in some form or another for thousands of years. From embedding precious stones in teeth to brushing with hog hair, people have been (attempting to) care for and bedazzle their teeth for centuries. Many practices from the past range from bizarre to downright disgusting. Below are five ancient dental practices that will make you thankful you’re visiting the dentist in the 21st century.