'Smile Experience' Exhibition Opening Marks Museum's Celebration of 13th Anniversary
‘SMILE EXPERIENCE’ EXHIBITION OPENING MARKS MUSEUM’S CELEBRATION OF 13TH ANNIVERSARYBALTIMORE, MD (July 1, 2009)—The National Museum of Dentistry celebrated its 13th anniversary on June 5 with an exciting exhibition opening and a preview of new projects. The annual celebration honors
‘SMILE EXPERIENCE’ EXHIBITION OPENING MARKS MUSEUM’S CELEBRATION OF 13TH ANNIVERSARY
BALTIMORE, MD (July 1, 2009)—The National Museum of Dentistry celebrated its 13th anniversary on June 5 with an exciting exhibition opening and a preview of new projects. The annual celebration honors supporters and friends who help the Museum in its mission to celebrate the history the dentistry and to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health in a healthy life.
Dr. Irwin and Lucia Smigel joined Museum Board of Visitors Chair Michael Sudzina, Executive Director Rosemary Fetter, and Immediate Past Board Chair Dr. Roger Levin to cut the ribbon on the new Smile Experience exhibit. It reveals how the art and science of cosmetic dentistry creates beautiful and healthy smiles. Visitors can take a digital snapshot of their unique smile and instantly upload it to a monitor in the gallery. A dazzling video presentation shows how people have enhanced their smiles throughout history, from the ancient Mayans who decorated their teeth with jade to Dr. Irwin Smigel’s introduction of tooth bonding to the American public on the popular TV show “That’s Incredible,” the beginning of the modern age of cosmetic dentistry. Visitors can test their celebrity savvy by matching celebrity smiles with their owners in the Guess the Smile game, then explore Dr. Smigel’s real-life smile transformations.
As a feature of the evening’s program, Dr. Irwin Smigel, known as the father of aesthetic dentistry, was honored. A plaque bearing his likeness was unveiled and will be affixed to one of the soaring pillars in the Museum’s atrium. Dr. Smigel has been at the forefront of major developments in dentistry, including bonding, laminates/veneers, changing facial structures and tooth whitening. He has authored more than 110 articles on aesthetics in dental journals and a national best-selling book called ‘Dental Health/Dental Beauty.’ Founder and current president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics, he is a diplomate of the American Board of Aesthetic Dentistry and was honored with the Outstanding Contribution to Aesthetic Dentistry Award from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has been instrumental in establishing aesthetic dental societies around the world. Dr. Smigel maintains a cosmetic dentistry practice on Madison Avenue in New York City, treating some of the most recognizable smiles in the nation.
Rosemary Fetter, who is retiring at the end of June, was lauded for her accomplishments as the Museum’s Executive Director for the past 10 years. During her tenure, the Museum became an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and was designated by Congress as the nation’s official museum of the dental profession. She led the development of a popular traveling exhibit program and the MouthPower oral health education program that helps kids learn about good oral health on site, online, and across the country. She has engaged the dental community nationwide to extend educational outreach across the country, complementing the collection and special exhibitions in Baltimore and forwarding the Museum’s mission to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health to a healthy life.
Outgoing Board Chair Michael Sudzina was honored for his two-year term and Dr. Leslie Seldin was welcomed as the new Board Chair. During the past two years, the Museum has enhanced its image as a fun place to visit and learn about oral health and expanded the reach of its programs nationally. The Museum launched two new traveling exhibits to reach audiences across the country with messages about good oral health. It unveiled a new logo, branding, and web site that conveys the fun, fascinating, smile-inspiring Museum experience. The new Smile Experience exhibit enhances the on-site visit experience.
Special thanks were given for making the following upcoming projects possible:
The Museum is developing Get MouthPower!, a new web site that will share unique oral health messages for adults. This new source of information will be a fun, interactive, and east-to-navigate program featuring exciting tools to help adults have a healthy mouth for life, with a special emphasis in the mouth-body connection. This project is made possible by Colgate-Palmolive.
The popular online oral health education program for children, www.MouthPower.org, will be converted to a MouthPower CD packaged with user friendly tips to help children discover the power of a health smile. MouthPower Online has been used around the world, and the CD format will make it possible for dentists and hygienists to use the program in a dental office or clinic setting. This project is made possible by United Concordia Companies, Inc.
A new educational web site will be created to supplement the new Your Spitting Image traveling exhibit, which begins its national tour this summer at the ADA headquarters in Chicago. From CSI to the real world, the Your Spitting Image Online will unlock the mysteries of the body through interactive experiments and classroom materials for teachers. This project is made possible by the Patterson Foundation.
The National Museum of Dentistry
The National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is a lively national center where visitors learn the importance of a healthy smile and the rich history of dentistry. Recognized for its innovative exhibits and programs that educate the public about the importance of oral health in a healthy life, the museum is designated by Congress as the official museum of the dental profession in the United States. This one-of-a-kind museum is located at 31 S. Greene Street on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore—home of the world’s first dental school. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for youths, seniors, and students with ID, and free for children age 6 & under and NMD members. Open Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday 1–4 p.m. Call 410/706-0600 or visit www.smile-experience.org.
