Should I start collecting extracted teeth from clinics?

[littlepepe]

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I work as a part-time dental assistant. The dentist that I worked with asked me a question today, "Did you start collecting extracted teeth for your school years?" Do you guys think it's too early to start???

 

[Ex_EE]

I have started.

 

[SugarNaCl]

Come again? This is a joke, right?

 

[KOM]

Come again? This is a joke, right?

No, VCU asks that you collect teeth as well if I recall correctly. Get on that Sugar!

I recommend a few places. First, we all know we can get those 3rd molars pretty easily from the oral surgeon, but to get more of a variety you've got to be more creative.

#1) Bars. Try to pick out the most rowdy bar you can and wait for a fight.

#2) Hockey games perhaps

#3) UFC matches

...any other ideas?

 

[toothfairy85]

I remember when I visited Houston a couple years ago with our Pre-Dental group they had mentioned collecting teeth, but I haven't heard anything about this otherwise. Do all schools do this? Do you have to collect child and adult teeth? A certain number of each one?

 

[tinman831]

Most schools require you to collect a certain number of teeth. It's best to get started soon to be sure you have all you need.

 

[SugarNaCl]

No, VCU asks that you collect teeth as well if I recall correctly. Get on that Sugar!

I recommend a few places. First, we all know we can get those 3rd molars pretty easily from the oral surgeon, but to get more of a variety you've got to be more creative.

#1) Bars. Try to pick out the most rowdy bar you can and wait for a fight.

#2) Hockey games perhaps

#3) UFC matches

...any other ideas?

HAHAHAHA!

 

[SugarNaCl]

Seriously, when I was observing at the dentist, a patient wanted to take his tooth home to show his son. The dentist told him it was a biohazard and he couldn't let it leave the building. I should have ganked it!

 

[djeffreyt]

Generally you need to collect around 50-75 teeth for the schools that require it, but not all require it, but the ones that do...often don't tell you til later. I collected for 3 months from an oral surgeon and got about 80. Most are 3rd molars though.

 

[Joe70h8]

Excuse my ignorance on this whole collecting teeth thing, but if it's a biohazard for a patient to take his tooth/teeth home, how are we supposed to collect/store a multitude of teeth?

Also, what is the purpose of collecting teeth? To use a models for wax build-ups? To practice on/study?

 

[djeffreyt]

The teeth are set into a mock mouth sometimes and then we learn to drill on them because there is a difference between drilling on plastic or ivorine and drilling on a real tooth. They also get used for root canal Tx practice...not sure what else.

A fairly safe way to store them is to put them in a resealable waterproof jar (like an old spaghetti sauce jar with a screw on cap) and mix 50/50 water and alcohol. I don't know why, but this is what some of the dentists I spoke with about collecting recommended. Some schools have specific requirements that they tell you to store it in when they finally tell you to collect them.

 

[wenz482]

I got a jar of formaldehyde solution for collecting teeth from the dental school marked "Biohazard!!!!"

 

[Joe70h8]

The teeth are set into a mock mouth sometimes and then we learn to drill on them because there is a difference between drilling on plastic or ivorine and drilling on a real tooth. They also get used for root canal Tx practice...not sure what else.

A fairly safe way to store them is to put them in a resealable waterproof jar (like an old spaghetti sauce jar with a screw on cap) and mix 50/50 water and alcohol. I don't know why, but this is what some of the dentists I spoke with about collecting recommended. Some schools have specific requirements that they tell you to store it in when they finally tell you to collect them.

Well that cleared everything up, thanks. Anyone know if NYU needs to start collecting?

 

[KOM]

Seriously, when I was observing at the dentist, a patient wanted to take his tooth home to show his son. The dentist told him it was a biohazard and he couldn't let it leave the building. I should have ganked it!

ganked...now there's a word I haven't heard in a long time. I thought that was an Alaskan thing. You haven't been up there lately have you?

 

[lifeisgood]

ganked...now there's a word I haven't heard in a long time. I thought that was an Alaskan thing. You haven't been up there lately have you?

I thought it was a southern ca thing, and I too haven't heard it in at least a week or two.

 

[djeffreyt]

alaskans are always trying to gank Socal phrasology and call it there own.

 

[KOM]

Bah, the lower 48 is always ganking Alaskan phrasology.

Just to clarify, we used the term lower 48 before Hawaii became a state and we take pride in refusing to correct it.

 

[Mila]

Generally you need to collect around 50-75 teeth for the schools that require it, but not all require it, but the ones that do...often don't tell you til later. I collected for 3 months from an oral surgeon and got about 80. Most are 3rd molars though.

75-80??! Damn, that's a lot of teeth. So just to clarify, it's not too early to start collecting now?? And is it a better idea to put the teeth in a water/alcohol solution (as mentioned earlier) or in formaldehyde?

 

[UTEMAN21]

Maybe somebody with a lot of extra time on their hands, should come up with a poll regarding what schools have ask to collect teeth.

 

[Joe70h8]

Maybe somebody with a lot of extra time on their hands, should come up with a poll regarding what schools have ask to collect teeth.

I think I'd be embarrassed to have that much extra time on my hands.

**No offense to anyone who has that much time on there hands.**

 

[djeffreyt]

how about someone just post in the dental forum asking them to respond with if their school asked them to collect teeth...oh wait...I'll do it.

 

[littlepepe]

Back to the topic...

I talked to my classmate in the dental assistant program today and asked her to help me collecting extracted teeth in the clinic that she works. She told me that her dentist collects the extracted teeth and sell them... Have you guys heard about that???

 

[SugarNaCl]

ganked...now there's a word I haven't heard in a long time. I thought that was an Alaskan thing. You haven't been up there lately have you?

ha... apparently it's an Alaskan/SoCal/Buffalo thing 😛 Though when I was in Richmond, no one had heard of the word. By the time I left grad school, I think 1/3 of those that graduated with me were using it. It's just catchy.

 

[t2thDr14]

D2s use the teeth to practice root canals on. make sure when u collect them to NOT put bleach in there, since they'll eat away at the tooth structure over time. i put my collected teeth in a glass jar of a 50/50 solution of pinesol and water.

the more virgin the teeth are (i.e. least fillings), the better. =)

 

[littlepepe]

My dentist told me that my jar for collecting extracted should contain formalin plus alcohol. Do you guys have any idea where can I buy that specific solution for extracted teeth??

 

[rocco99]

disgusting

 

[muz]

i definitely have NOT heard about collecting teeth here at the university of michigan...considering that we have already drilled on real teeth within the first two months of school...and we have a BOATLOAD of teeth waiting in the lab for us to use whenever....its very crazy that uall have to go around collecting teeth!...very grimey too!

😱

 

[prplmnky52]

I think that the main reason for collecting teeth is to ensure fertility in male voodoo shamans. You see, the voodoo shamans actually control schools like VCU and they use the dentists there to force students to collect teeth for their many layers of tooth necklaces. Each necklace requires approx 50 perm teeth, (78 primary), and these shamans have started an inter-clan tooth necklace/ fertility war. Us students are just stuck in the middle. We do what the professors tell us so that the voodo shamans dont pick on us and make a doll of us. So...I guess if you want to start collecting teeth now, it couldnt hurt. Just dont let everyone know about ALL of your teeth right off...the shamans might think you are trying to compete for supremecy...then no one can really help you.

Dont ask scary/dumba$$ questions.