This remarkable 1960s play set let kids practice dentistry—at a time when only boys were expected to become dentists.

PRESSMAN TOYS FOUND a winning formula in the mid‑twentieth century with play sets designed to make dentist and physician visits less intimidating. Its Play Dentist set was the most elaborate, including a functioning scale-model dental unit, interchangeable handpieces and more. It also captured the social norms of its era. Although the box proclaims it’s suitable “For BOYS and GIRLS,” the instruction booklet repeatedly refers to dentists as male. “Your dentist makes it his job to help you prevent dental troubles!” one line confidently states. Of course, at the time most dentists were men—a stark contrast to today, when the majority of dental school graduates are women, no thanks to the assumptions baked into toys like this. That aside, if the goal was putting kids at ease by demystifying the dental office, Pressman delivered. It’s a surprisingly accurate, hands‑on introduction to dental tools and procedures that encouraged proper oral care and was even endorsed by the ADA.

Closing the cultural gap: Though the Play Dentist set reflected the gender norms of its era, it likely still helped introduce future practitioners of both sexes to the basics of real dentistry.

LARRY COHEN, Benco Dental’s chairman and chief customer advocate, has over the past half-century collected hundreds of unique dental artifacts, which reside at Benco’s home office in Pittston, Pennsylvania.