3 Characters That Give Dentists a Bad Reputation

There is an incredible number of people who are afraid of the dentist. Many of them have had a bad experience, but oftentimes their fear comes from something they’ve seen in the media.

For sure, dentists have had some pretty poor representatives in pop culture. Here are some of the most prominent examples, and why your dentist won’t make you feel the same way.

Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors

Starting with one of the most iconic dentists in pop culture, there’s Steve Martins’ famous portrayal of Orin Scrivello in the movie musical Little Shop of Horrors. In this movie, Orin is a dentist, nitrous oxide addict, and abusive boyfriend of the story’s main love interest. In his dedicated musical number, he proclaims proudly that he has a “talent for causing things pain.” Ultimately, it’s hard to think of a dentist you’d rather see fed to a plant.

Sir Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man

In this iconic 70s thriller, Dustin Hoffman is on the run from a Nazi dentist, portrayed by Sir Laurence Olivier. In what’s unfortunately one of the most iconic dentistry scenes in the history of film, the dentist uses his knowledge of dentistry to torture Hoffman, alternating between the dental drill and numbing clove oil. Obviously, your actual dentist’s priority is to keep you comfortable. That said, after viewing this scene… maybe you’ll show them a little more respect.

The Carol Burnett Show’s Dentist Sketch

Another classic of the 70s, one of The Carol Burnett Show’s most famous sketches revolves around a new dentist, played by Tim Conway, treating a patient’s toothache. After quite a few mishaps, the dentist uses Novocain to numb his own hand, leg, and face, before accidentally knocking the patient’s tooth out with the dental light.

Of course, these pop culture dentists aren’t representative of the real world. Actual dentists aren’t as sadistic as Sir Laurence Olivier or as clumsy as Tim Conway—they’re normal people who will work hard to give you the smile you deserve! And unlike Steve Martin, they’ll use nitrous oxide to put you at ease, not on themselves.

About Our Practice

At Advanced Dental Care of Springfield, we want to help as many people as we can achieve immaculate oral health. We have four incredible, experienced dentists on staff, meaning that we’re able to get to know each of our patients personally and create a treatment plan customized to suit their needs. There are lots of incorrect ideas about dentistry, and we’d be happy to show you how good dental care can be.

If you have any questions about how a good dentist can put you at ease, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (217) 546-3333.