Many people have a fear of the dentist, but where do these fears stem from, and are they rational? A lot of society’s fear of the media can be linked to the media. The popular media loves to portray dentists as scary, frightening, and evil. The film industry has a history of portraying the dental industry in a negative light, dating back to “The Dentist”, a 1932 short film about an incompetent dentist who treated patients without the use of pain killers. These types of comedy flicks make us laugh, but it is the type of dark humor that also makes us cringe and instills a belief about how dentists operate. Marathon Man and Little Shop of Horrors are two of the most famous films starring evil dentists, and can be too gruesome for some people to watch. Even when the movie is a child-friendly film, dentists often play a scary role, such as in Finding Nemo, where the dentist office is the horrible place that the fish must try to escape from.
Of course, not every representation of dentists has been negative, but these positive portrayals are often overlooked. Eversmile, New Jersey is a dramatic comedy starring Daniel Day-Lewis about a traveling dentist serving the population in Argentina, but the movie was a bust with an indistinguishable plot. Television sitcom The Middle shows the likeable character Frankie working as a dental assistant, but she is clumsy and unorganized, often forgetting her assignments or messing something up.
Will dentists ever be portrayed in a good light in the media? Despite being one of the most trusted professions, dentistry is far more profitable for the media if it is used in scary horror films. It is important to remember that what you see in the movies is just the work of Hollywood. Real life dentists are friendly, helpful, kind, and caring. We invite you to visit us at Brown Dental Care, where you can see for yourself how friendly and compassionate our three skilled dentists are. We might even be able to make you laugh!