Dr. Tom Giacobbi returns this week with a tip of the cap to an often-overlooked piece of equipment in every dental practice ... the saliva ejector.
Want to know more about this indispensable piece of your operatory? Check out the video below.
Video transcript
"Let's hear it for one of the unsung heroes of dental equipment in the office -- the saliva ejector.
"Up until the 1950s, the default way for a patient to evacuate their mouth was in a cuspidor, which was a tiny toilet bowl attached to the side of the dental chair. And every time they wanted to use it, you had to raise the chair, and when they were done, you lowered it back.
"Well, Dr. Wilbur Heidbrink had a genius idea of attaching a straw to a suction hose, and he birthed the saliva ejector. My guess is he got sick of people spitting on the floor, and he got tired of raising and lowering the chair.
"So to Dr. Wilbur, I say, 'Thank you, sir, for inventing such a great little device.'"
"Now, let's get back to work."
