Presidential Dentures Return to Mount Vernon

The following article appears at: http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=2185

By Craig Palmer

Mount Vernon, Va.—George Washington's dentures came home for permanent display at the 18th century estate across the Potomac River from the national capital bearing his name.

A spiffy new Mount Vernon visitors center and museum open to the public Oct. 27 features what are described as "The Most Famous Teeth in the World." This is the first major expansion of America's oldest house museum, opened to tourists 146 years ago, and a fresh portrayal in 25 new galleries and theaters of the first president, "the real George Washington," his life and his times.

In "A Leader's' Smile Gallery," visitors will consider his dental history.

"Entering this gallery, visitors are immediately drawn to the extraordinarily personal and evocative artifact at its center—George Washington's dentures—which are surrounded by a timeline detailing Washington's dental agonies from the loss of his first tooth at the age of 24 to his last set of dentures in 1798," a spokeswoman said. "Circling the gallery to explore this painful history, visitors will understand the harshness of Washington's time and the constant pain that underscored every event in his life.

"Cleaning implements used in vain by Washington to try to save his teeth are exhibited, and a History Channel video shows the process of fabricating Washington's dentures, which were not made of wood."

George Washington "spent a small fortune on the best dentures money could buy," says a Mount Vernon publication describing the smile gallery in the new Donald W. Reynolds Education Center. "His false teeth were carefully carved from ivory, set in a custom-shaped lead base, and joined with tiny springs that kept the dentures in place. By 18th-century standards, the dentures were the top of the line. So is the special new gallery where they will be exhibited, which has been supported by a generous grant from Donald and Nancy de Laski."

These may well be world famous dentures, but they are not the only Washington dentures on display, said Dr. Scott Swank, curator of the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore, Md. "A permanent display of the George Washington dentures owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association is a welcomed addition to the George Washington dentures on display throughout the world.

"Historians and George Washington scholars theorize that there are five known sets of dentures that belonged to this country's first president. One set was presumably buried with the former president, which leaves four dentures that are on display including the one (at Mount Vernon). The other three are a lower denture on display at the New York Academy of Medicine, a segment of a lower denture on display at the Royal London Hospital and Archives and Museum, and another lower denture on display at the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry.

"All three of these dentures were made by Washington's favorite dentist, Dr. John Greenwood," said Dr. Swank. For more information on George Washington's dental history visit the National Museum of Dentistry programs at www.dentalmuseum.org .

Forensic reconstructions give Mount Vernon visitors a new look at the first president, says The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky. "Visitors can see what Washington actually looked like: tall, vigorous and, dare we say, sexy. Who knew?" His dentures are "probably the most popular artifact at Mount Vernon," says the Washington Post.