Gotta collect extracted teeth!?! Huh?

[dds2005]

I'm starting Tufts dental in the fall and got a packet from them saying I need to collect all kinds of human extracted teeth for gross anatomy. Putting aside the fact that it's a bit twisted having to ask dentists, oral surgeons, etc for extracted teeth like I'm some sort of bone collector; I'm curious to know what other schools out there ask this of their incoming students. Does anyone have advice for me on how to ask this of dentists without coming off as some sort of freak? Do dentists hear this request often? cheers!

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[onetoothleft]

I'm starting Tufts dental in the fall and got a packet from them saying I need to collect all kinds of human extracted teeth for gross anatomy. Putting aside the fact that it's a bit twisted having to ask dentists, oral surgeons, etc for extracted teeth like I'm some sort of bone collector; I'm curious to know what other schools out there ask this of their incoming students. Does anyone have advice for me on how to ask this of dentists without coming off as some sort of freak? Do dentists hear this request often? cheers!

I saw a thread exactly like this one last year and started collecting teeth when I shadowed. . . Now I have this jar of teeth in a bleach solution in my closet. The roots have turned blue for some reason. The ironic thing is that I dont think columbia wants teeth. You can have mine if you want .

Most dentist will be really nice about this. If they don't have a collection to give you already, they will keep them for you if you ask. The funny thing is that extracted teeth are considered a biohazard and dentists aren't supposed to keep them.

 

[egpndoc]

I'm starting Tufts dental in the fall and got a packet from them saying I need to collect all kinds of human extracted teeth for gross anatomy. Putting aside the fact that it's a bit twisted having to ask dentists, oral surgeons, etc for extracted teeth like I'm some sort of bone collector; I'm curious to know what other schools out there ask this of their incoming students. Does anyone have advice for me on how to ask this of dentists without coming off as some sort of freak? Do dentists hear this request often? cheers!

You wont come off as a freak. Dentists are used to this. They collect them for dentals tudents all the time. I only got turned down by one dentist because he said he was afraid of AIDS. What a prick!!! Just tell them you have to collect teeth and give them the jar with the bleach solution in it and your name written on tape on the jar. Oral surgeons are good for posteriors and periodontists and GPs are good for getting anteriors. To the other person, did you sue 1 part bleach per 10 parts water?

 

[onetoothleft]

You wont come off as a freak. Dentists are used to this. They collect them for dentals tudents all the time. I only got turned down by one dentist because he said he was afraid of AIDS. What a prick!!! Just tell them you have to collect teeth and give them the jar with the bleach solution in it and your name written on tape on the jar. Oral surgeons are good for posteriors and periodontists and GPs are good for getting anteriors. To the other person, did you sue 1 part bleach per 10 parts water?

No I am not sure my dentist made the solution and he thinks he put too much bleach in it too. I just thought it was funny that they turned blue.

 

[billiken10]

No I am not sure my dentist made the solution and he thinks he put too much bleach in it too. I just thought it was funny that they turned blue.

I did some work in a biochem research lab at a dental school. Its normal for them to to turn blue after a period of time. I forget the exact reason, but dont sweat it. They just eventually get blue and a little chalky, but theyre totally fine.

 

[dds2005]

So far it's a slow go getting teeth. Called up 3 dentists...2 haven't returned my calls but did get teeth from the third. Apparently he saved a few for someone else but they never came for them. There loss is my gain. Thank you for offering up your jar of teeth. Have to say this is quite an experience so far. The receptionists must think I'm a nut (based on their reaction once I told them my request).

 

[toothie]

So far it's a slow go getting teeth. Called up 3 dentists...2 haven't returned my calls but did get teeth from the third. Apparently he saved a few for someone else but they never came for them. There loss is my gain. Thank you for offering up your jar of teeth. Have to say this is quite an experience so far. The receptionists must think I'm a nut (based on their reaction once I told them my request).

hi
if u keep the teeth for too long in bleach ,it tend to dehydrate the teeth thus making them brittle and impossible to use....
just my experiance..

 

[budge311]

I know dentist that keep their teeth. Especially if they have gold or silver in them.

 

[DDS2BE]

We don't need to collect teeth. But why can't you guys buy plastic teeth at your school when it starts?

 

[jonnytight]

Does anyone know if we are to collect teeth for USC?

 

[onetoothleft]

I know dentist that keep their teeth. Especially if they have gold or silver in them.

Can you believe that people still get gold teeth [for aestetic reasons]? I was walking around going to the car show of all places and I saw this guy with all gold teeth [from what i could see].

When you become a dentist, would you give someone gold teeth, or is that unethical, knowing how rediculous it looks?

I guess I would do it if someone is paying me to do it . . . but I would never admit it.

 

[fishindr]

We don't need to collect teeth. But why can't you guys buy plastic teeth at your school when it starts?

I'm sure you can buy them, every school sells the fake teeth. At the school I'm going to they are like $2.00 a pop. Doesn't sound like much, but when you use a lot of them the total $ spent on them starts getting up there. It saves you a few bucks to just get real ones. Plus, from everyone I talk to, there just no substitute for the real thing. It's close, but not quite.

The advice given me is to save you anteriors and pre-molars, as they are the hardest to get and you'll be scrambling around your 2nd year trying to find some for endo.

I've got 5 jars out right now at "big" clinics. So, between them there's probably around 20+ dentists collecting teeth for me. Oh, and the Veteran's Hospital's are great places to get teeth, I have to change that jar out about every 3 or 4 weeks because it starts filling up. I'm using 1:10 bleach to water solution.

Good luck getting your jars filled up.

 

[dds2005]

If bleach makes the teeth brittle then what should I use? The teeth I got from the oral surgeon had them in some sort of ethanol mix but I put them in the recommended 1:10 bleach mix.

 

[jheidenr]

I know dentist that keep their teeth. Especially if they have gold or silver in them.

Yeah, one of my dentists had his wife's wedding ring made from the gold he had collected from teeth he'd extracted over the years. Kinda sick if you ask me...

 

[dparnes]

I'm starting Tufts dental in the fall and got a packet from them saying I need to collect all kinds of human extracted teeth for gross anatomy. Putting aside the fact that it's a bit twisted having to ask dentists, oral surgeons, etc for extracted teeth like I'm some sort of bone collector; I'm curious to know what other schools out there ask this of their incoming students. Does anyone have advice for me on how to ask this of dentists without coming off as some sort of freak? Do dentists hear this request often? cheers!

Hey,
I am also starting Tufts this fall. My name is Danielle and I am trying to find roomates and a place to live but its been quite difficult. I'm a senior at the University of Florida, and I am from Miami. I was also curious about that packet on collecting teeth. I believe you can ask your dentist for them. That is what I plan on doing when I go home for the summer. Let me know what you are doing about Boston housing and when exactly you are planning on moving to Boston. Thanks, Danielle

 

[12YearOldKid]

It does seem like an odd request when you get that letter, doesn't it? But at least you don't have to bring your own cadavers for anatomy lab.

 

[td_g]

Yeah, one of my dentists had his wife's wedding ring made from the gold he had collected from teeth he'd extracted over the years. Kinda sick if you ask me...

LOL

 

[ljca]

If bleach makes the teeth brittle then what should I use? The teeth I got from the oral surgeon had them in some sort of ethanol mix but I put them in the recommended 1:10 bleach mix.

10% Buffered Formalin should preserve and disinfect the teeth. Atleast that's what UCLA's having us store the teeth in. One dentist has complained about the strong formaldehyde odor, so he's keeping the teeth in bleach for me.