Dentists Who Didn't Practice Trivia Quiz

Answer: Petticoat Junction

Edgar Buchanan (March 20, 1903 to April 4, 1979) was an actor who began his practice in California. Edgar's father and wife were also dentists. Dr. Buchanan joined a community acting group and never looked back. He had a long career in both film and television. He is most remembered today as Uncle Joe Carson is from the 'Petticoat Junction' TV series (1963-1970). Uncle Joe also appeared on 'Green Acres' and 'The Beverly Hillbillies".

After Doctor B. appeared in his first film ("My Son Is Guilty"(1939)) he turned his dentistry practice over to his wife.

Buchanan's last film was 1974's "Benji". He also appeared in many Westerns throughout his career, such as; "McLintock!" (1963), "Ride the High Country" (1962), "The Comancheros" (1961) and "Shane" (1953).

Answer: The Wooden Golf Tee

Doctor William Lowell (1863 (date unavailable) to June 24, 1954) invented the wooden golf tee in the 1920s. He first made a batch of tees and painted them green. Lowell changed their color to red because the green ones were difficult to see in the grass of golf courses In 1922 Lowell signed a contract to manufacture tees with the Spalding Company. Lowell quickly was making and selling over $100,000 worth of celluloid tees.

Other companies began making tees that were essentially like his and Dr. Lowell spent much of his time and money fighting to protect the US patent he had received in 1923.

Answer: Cary Middlecoff

Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 to September 1, 1998) quit as a practicing dentist to become a professional golfer in 1947. As a golfer Middlecoff won 40 professional tournaments, including the 1955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956.

He was in two Hollywood movies as himself, "Follow the Sun" (1950) and "The Bellboy" (1960). Doctor Middlecoff was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 1986.

Answer: Paul Revere

Paul Revere (about January 1, 1735 to May 10, 1818) is best known as a successful American silversmith and patriot of the American Revolution. He is remembered as a messenger before the battles of Lexington and Concord, warning that "The British are coming". Revere's 'Midnight Ride' is known in the United States as symbolic of American patriotism. Revere practiced dentistry early in his adulthood.

Answer: Thomas Welch

Doctor Thomas Bramwell Welch (1825 to 1903) discovered a process to prevent grape juice from fermenting. Welch's was a Wesleyan Methodist, and this variety of Methodism was particularly strongly opposed the consumption or manufacture of intoxicating liquors. Welch lived in Minnesota and became a dentist in 1856.

In 1869, Welch discovered a method of pasteurizing grape juice so that fermentation did not occur, so making the drink was non-alcoholic. Welch and his son sold grape juice as an adjunct to Thomas' dental practice.

In 1893 the family began selling grape juice full time, and named the company Welch's Grape Juice.

Answer: Holliday

John Henry "Doc" Holliday (August 14, 1851 to November 8, 1887) is known as a gambler and gunfighter of the American Old West. In 1872 Holliday was awarded a degree in Dental Surgery from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduation, he opened an practice in Atlanta, Georgia. He was diagnosed with consumption (tuberculosis) and went west for the more beneficial weather. Holliday practiced in Dallas, Texas and soon found he could make more by gambling. He was arrested in Texas for his gambling and decided to move west yet again. His hot temper and attitude made him an able gunfighter. 'Doc' met Wyatt Earp in Texas, when he aided Earp in a saloon gunfight.

Holliday migrated to Tombstone, Arizona Territory in 1880. There he met up with Earp and his brothers Morgan and Virgil. In Tombstone, Holliday became involved in some violence that led up to the 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral' in 1881. 'Doc' had an argument with Ike Clanton. The Clantons and McLaurys, local troublemakers, were apparently waiting for Holliday and were confronted by the Earps. Wyatt Earp and Tom McLaury were the first men to shoot, at the same instant, according to Wyatt. Holliday killed Tom McLaury. The entire incident took only a few minutes and about thirty shots were fired, leaving three dead.

Answer: True

Mahlon Loomis (July 26, 1826 to October 13, 1886) was a dentist and a wireless telegraphy experimenter.

On February 20, 1864, Loomis wrote in his journal: "I have been for years trying to study out a process by which telegraphic communications may be made across the ocean without any wires, and also from point to point on the earth, dispensing with wires".

Two and a half years later, Loomis claimed to have done this in between two mountaintops in Virginia. He said that he was able to make a meter connected to one kite cause a meter attached to another kite to move. His ideas were scoffed at and wireless telegraphy was not implemented until Marconi, years later.

Answer: False

Edgar Randolph "Painless" Parker (1871-1951)(exact dates unknown) attended Philadelphia Dental College which would eventually be renamed the Temple University Dental School. United States law at the time prevented physicians from making 'false claims', and Parker claimed to practice "painless dentistry".

He legally changed his first name to "Painless", to avoid the accusations that were sure to follow. He eventually ran numerous dental offices which employed over 70 dentists.

Answer: Lacrosse

Doctor William George Beers (May 5, 1843 to Dec 26, 1900). He was the prime mover in organizing and popularizing Lacrosse. He was also was dean of Canada's first dental college. He had published the rules of Lacrosse in 1860, which helped standardize the game.

Answer: Saint Apollonia

Saint Apollonia according to legend, was tortured. Reportedly her torture included having all of her teeth violently pulled. For this reason, she is popularly regarded as the Patron Saint of dentistry and those suffering from toothache or other dental problems.