The Weaver Dental Museum of Temple University
You’ll appreciate your own dentist after a visit to this museum of dental history
The Experience
The story starts in the 18th century with Josiah Flagg, patriarch of the Flagg family, whose descendants continued the practice of dentistry and were among the founders of the Philadelphia Dental College. The development of the College, and of dentistry generally, is vividly illustrated through student records, photographs, dental instruments and dental equipment at this compact museum on the third floor of the current school. Pull-out drawers, beautifully crafted into the exhibition cases, reveal more displays of dentures, tools and teeth.
A set of instruments owned by Josiah Flagg (one of the college founders) is believed to have been made by Paul Revere. The oldest dental chair in the U.S., Flagg’s passport — dated 1815 and signed by John Quincy Adams — along with the minutes book that the original faculty of five used to record the founding of the school are among this fascinating collection. The display on Painless Parker, the notorious San Francisco tooth-puller of the early 20th Century, is complemented by the bucket of teeth he collected.
History
The Museum started in 1863 when, in order to start a dental school, you were required to have a library and museum in place. The collection has been enhanced over the years with donations of artifacts and memorabilia from alumni and dental professionals. The museum’s photo collection also dates back to the 19th century. The current museum was designed and created through alumni support. Temple conducts outreach programs in Haiti and Tioga County, PA.