National Dentist’s Day

National Dentist’s Day

An annual celebration on 6th March, National Dentist’s Day, is observed to show appreciation to your dentist and say a “Thank You” for their work. The day is also taken to raise awareness about the importance of regular dental checkups and to encourage proper dental care.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalDentistDay

#DentistDay

Related: Other National Days Celebrated on March 6th:

National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day

National Oreo Cookie Day

National Frozen Food Day

National Dress Day

Why National Dentist’s Day?

Are you someone who gets a bit nervous and at times anxious on the day of your dental visit? You are not alone. The dentist is definitely not a person most of us look forward to seeing. But imagine a world without these oral health care professionals, where our penchant for sweet treats and sugars would have destroyed our pearly gnashers. Without any doubt, oral health is an integral part of our overall health, and hence dentists are the most important professionals we have in the health industry.

All year long, the dentist makes sure that our teeth are cleaned, pesky cavities are filled, tooth decays is stopped, a broken tooth is fixed, or the toothache is gone, or simply making sure that our oral health is not signifying something serious. Whether it is encouraging us to do floss or simply ensuring that our teeth are sparkling and our smiles are confident when we face the world, their offices send us constant reminders, encouraging us to come for routine dental checkups and schedule us for appointments. They also curate plans of dental care to make our smiles look picture perfect.

Dentist’s Day is thus a day where we honor and acknowledge all their efforts by saying a “Thank You” to them. This day is celebrated to honor all the dental health specialists, including all the dental surgeons, periodontists, pediatric dentists, prosthodontists, dental therapists, dental technicians, etc.

This day is also used to spread awareness about dentistry and how people can take steps to take care of their teeth. The awareness also helps encouraging people who may have avoided going in for a routine dental checkup to schedule their next appointment.

How can we observe National Dentist’s Day:

• Schedule your routinely dental appointment:

Take some time out of your busy schedule and use this day to book your next cleaning with your dentist. Please take a picture with your dentist while you are at it and post it on social media using the hashtag #nationaldentistday or #dentistsday. If, somehow, you are not keen on visiting your dentist on that day, make sure you use the hashtag #nationaldentistday or #dentistsday on social media to spread the word out there. You never know who might get encouraged with your post and get their teeth checked.

• Brush your teeth: 

Nothing makes your dentist happier than knowing that you are taking care of your pearlies well. To celebrate this day, spend a few extra minutes brushing your teeth. You could even buy a new toothbrush, a floss, and a mouthwash and give a shout out on social media using the hashtag #nationaldentistday or #dentistsday to raise awareness.

• Send a written Thank-you Note:

Being an oral health care professional may be a really thankless job, so take this day as an opportunity to convey your gratitude to these pearly white guards. Tell them that their efforts are acknowledged and that your oral health is kept in check because of their timely reminders. It is sure to make their day and even yours knowing that there is some dentist out there smiling because of your little thankyou note. Make sure you post these thankyou notes on your social media handles with the hashtags #nationaldentistday or #dentistsday.

Interesting Facts on National Dentist’s Day:

Here are some interesting facts about the Dentists and their work for you to enjoy your day:

• Ancient dental implants date back to 600 AD, where pieces of shells were hammered into Mayan women’s jaws and made them look like human teeth.
• Dentists recommend that a toothbrush should be kept at a distance of at least 6 feet from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from flushing.
• In 1866, Lucy Beaman Hobbs became the first licensed female dentist.
• The first president of America, George Washington, never had wooden teeth; his dentures were made of ivory, gold, and other human teeth, contrary to the popular myth.
• The most valuable tooth belonged to Sir Issac Newton. One of his teeth was sold in 1816, in London. The tooth was set in a ring.
• The dentists’ job ranked as number one for the top jobs in 2015.

History of National Dentist’s Day:

Dentistry has been around for a long time, as far back as 7000 BC, where dentists were required to help the sufferers of toothache and cavities. However, until 5000 BC description related to dentistry and tooth decay was not available.

There is no evidence of any particular history for why National Dentist’s Day is observed on 6th March every year. But it is presumed that in 1790, an American dentist, John Greenwood, served as a personal dentist of the first president, George Washington, and has invented a dental foot engine. So presumably to honor John Greenwood, 6th March is observed to celebrate all the oral healthcare professional.