"Branches, Bristles and Batteries: Toothbrushes Through Time" is an interactive traveling exhibition developed by the staff of the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry in efforts to educate visitors about the importance of oral health while offering a hands-on approach to learning about the history of the toothbrush, healthy snacks, proper brushing and other "toothy facts." Branches, Bristles and Batteries represents the Museum's first traveling exhibition utilizing state of the art interactive technology and was made possible through the generous support of Colgate-Palmolive.
Visitors to Branches, Bristles and Batteries are guided by Brushella the Toothfairy along a colorful timeline juxtaposing historical world events with the evolution of the toothbrush. The timeline visually outlines the toothbrush's journey beginning in ancient Babylonia where people used 'tooth sticks' to clean their teeth through to today's state of the art electronic toothbrushes. The exhibition also includes a variety of vintage posters, a handcrafted toothbrush bench, a colorful toothbrush tree and three interactive learning stations.
The museum experience is enhanced through three engaging and interactive learning stations. "Food for Thought" encourages children to distinguish tooth-friendly foods from tooth-destroyers by placing an oversized molar on a variety of snacks. When the molar lights up green, a good snack has been chosen, but if it lights up red the snack is not a tooth-friendly choice.
"Plaque Attackers" teaches proper brushing techniques and the importance of brushing while visitors identify plaque on the oversized mouth model and use the matching oversized toothbrush to brush it away. "The Essential Toothbrush," is a computer driven station where Brushella the Toothfairy helps visitors discover the essential components of the toothbrush and its history, and then assists users in creating their own virtual toothbrush.
Branches, Bristles and Batteries will be showcased in the Saccente Gallery at The National Museum of Dentistry through July 2002. The national tour begins in September 2002. The Louisiana Children's Museum in New Orleans will be the first museum to host the traveling exhibition from September 2002 through December 2002.
The exhibition will travel to nine children's and science museums across the United States through December 2005. The host museums include the Louisiana Children's Museum (New Orleans), Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum at Omniplex (Oklahoma City), Science Station (Cedar Rapids), Children's Museum of Virginia (Portsmouth), Minnesota Children's Museum (St. Paul), Children's Museum of Kansas City (Kansas City), Science Place (Dallas) and Insights Science Museum (El Paso).
In addition, the 143rd American Dental Association (www.ada.org) Annual Session will be held in New Orleans from October 18 to October 22, 2002, only four blocks from The Louisiana Children's Museum providing an opportunity for dental professionals and their families to discover Branches, Bristles and Batteries and the Louisiana Children's Museum (www.lcm.org/504.523.1357).
