Painless Parker is one of the most colorful and controversial figures in the history of dentistry. Among the unusual artifacts associated with him is something that sounds almost unbelievable: a necklace made entirely from human teeth.
This strange piece of dental history was once displayed at the historical dental museum connected with Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry—my own alma mater—which traces its roots back to the Philadelphia Dental College, one of the oldest dental schools in the United States.
The necklace serves as a bizarre reminder of a time when dentistry sometimes blended medicine, marketing, and entertainment.
Who Was Painless Parker?
Painless Parker, whose real name was Edgar Randolph Parker, practiced dentistry in the early 20th century and became famous for turning dental treatment into public spectacle.
At a time when dental visits were widely feared, Parker promoted himself as a dentist who could remove teeth with minimal pain. His nickname, “Painless Parker,” was part branding, part promise, and part theatrical showmanship.
Rather than operating quietly in a dental office, Parker sometimes performed tooth extractions in front of crowds. These demonstrations were often staged at carnivals or public gatherings and accompanied by music and dramatic flair.
The goal was simple: convince the audience that dentistry didn’t have to be terrifying.
Painless Parker and the Tooth Necklace
One of the strangest legends surrounding Painless Parker involves the necklace he created from extracted teeth. According to historical accounts, Parker collected teeth removed during his public demonstrations and strung them together into a necklace.
The necklace became a kind of macabre marketing prop — a physical symbol of how many teeth he had pulled and a conversation starter that drew attention wherever he went.
Today, it serves as a reminder of how dramatically dental culture has changed.
Dentistry as Entertainment
During the early 1900s, dentistry was still evolving into the modern, regulated profession we recognize today. Some practitioners used aggressive marketing techniques to attract patients, and Parker was among the most famous.
He often used local anesthetics — which were still relatively new at the time — to demonstrate that extractions could be performed with less pain than people expected.
While Parker’s carnival-style approach was controversial, it also helped reduce public fear of dental treatment. In that sense, his theatrical methods may have contributed to changing public attitudes toward dentistry.
The Record-Breaking Extraction Day
One of the stories often associated with Painless Parker is the claim that he pulled 357 teeth in a single day. Whether every detail of the story is perfectly documented or not, it illustrates the scale of the spectacle he created around dentistry.
You can read more about that account in this historical article:
Painless Parker, an Early 20th Century Street Dentist Who Pulled 357 Teeth in One Day
How Dentistry Has Changed
Modern dentistry looks very different from the world of Painless Parker. Today’s dentists operate within strict professional standards, rely on advanced imaging, and emphasize prevention and long-term oral health.
Instead of carnival demonstrations, modern dental care focuses on early diagnosis, minimally invasive treatment, and patient comfort.
If you’re interested in how dentistry continues to evolve, you can also explore:
A Strange but Memorable Piece of Dental History
The tooth necklace attributed to Painless Parker may sound shocking today, but it reflects a fascinating chapter in the history of dentistry.
It reminds us that dental care has traveled a long road — from carnival demonstrations and theatrical showmanship to the modern science-based profession patients rely on today.
And fortunately for patients, modern dental visits no longer require a stage, a crowd, or a necklace of teeth.
