Scanning through the movies produced during the last few decades shows a surprisingly low number of dentist characters, as compared to the number of general medical practitioners. Dentists most often appear in comedies or thriller style movies.
Here are some highlights through the decades:
The Iron House (1924)
This movie is about the construction of the continental railroad. The John Ford film has a scene which depicts a dentist from Cheyenne removing a character’s tooth, although the man has not made up his mind about the removal.
Greed (1924)
This silent drama is based on a novel by Frank Norris and directed by Eric Van Stroheim. Gibson Gowland plays the character of John McTeague, as a miner who later practices dentistry, without a license.
Marathon Man (1976)
This film depicts the Nazi dentist, Dr. Christian Szell, played by Sir Lawrence Olivier, as he scares Dustin Hoffman by drilling holes into his teeth.
The Dentist (1996)
This movie depicts the fragile mind of a dentist, which can turn dangerous at times. Dr. Aline Feinstone, who is overzealous in his endeavor for super cleanliness and order, has been traumatized by his wife’s extramarital affairs.
The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002)
This movie has tried to depict similarities about the problems of modern marriage and tooth cleaning or cavity filling. Wife of a dentist, Campbell Scott, is probably having an affair, which causes relationship strain and other complexities.
Finding Nemo (2003)
The film portrays a fish in dentist office who goes on a great trip out of the tank.
Wild Hogs (2007)
Tim Allen plays the role of a dentist in this movie, as he goes on an adventurous trip with his middle-aged friends.
So, what do you think? Are Hollywood’s versions of the dentist character accurate? What’s your favorite or do you have a favorite that we missed?
