The best humor can often be found in the most ordinary places, and the dentist’s office is no exception! Don’t believe us? Check out the hilarious dental-related scenes from film and television listed below, but don’t forget: laughter might be the best medicine, but it’s no substitute for flossing. So take a cue from some of the more “motivational” clips below and keep up the good habit!

The Simpsons

With 27 seasons under its belt, The Simpsons has a veritable treasury of dentist-related scenes to choose from. But we’re going with a classic featuring fan-favorite Ralph Wiggum, who foolishly turns his dentist’s office into a “house of lies” and pays for it. Dearly.

Coneheads

This Saturday Night Live spin-off film about an extraterrestrial family trying to fit into American society can be summed up in this clip of Dan Aykroyd’s character visiting a dentist (Jon Lovitz) to make his smile less “alien” (as if it matters with a head like that!). Lovitz does his best to stay professional, but we’re guessing not many dentists would stick around after Aykroyd opens wide.

Mr. Bean

Humans can cause as much trouble as aliens from outer space in the exam chair, sometimes without a word, as depicted by the king of silently silly antics, Mr. Bean. You probably already know not to mess with dental equipment when the dentist’s back is turned—for those of us who are dentists, we wish for eyes in the back of our heads after watching this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW6R9kSGV2Q

Seinfeld

It’s not only fictional patients doling out dental hijinks—dentists in TV and movies have their share of fun, too. This clip from Seinfeld isn’t clear about what happened while Jerry was unconscious, but reasonable adults can venture a guess.

Little Shop of Horrors

If the dentist in Seinfeld is improbable, the one from cult film favorite Little Shop of Horrors is impossible—a cartoon villain with a comical penchant for inflicting pain. Still, Steve Martin’s dentist from hell has a flair for song and a sweet motorcycle—and two redeeming qualities are better than none, right?

The Dentist

Another nightmare dental practitioner played for laughs is W.C. Fields’s character in his 1932 short film The Dentist. Fields treats a comical parade of patients while his daughter throws a fit upstairs, but the highlight involves a tooth extraction/wrestling match with a female patient that has definite risqué undertones. Clips aren’t available but the short in its entirety is now in the public domain.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The 2005 film adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl fable is more faithful to the novel than the 1971 original. In this clip exploring Willy Wonka’s relationship with his dentist father, we get a glimpse into the origins of the candymaker. Dentists may cheer at Daddy Wonka’s tactics, but can you blame little Willy for wanting a candy factory after this?

Finding Nemo

Even though this movie takes place mostly in the ocean, the dentist who stole the titular fish is crucial to the entire plot, which leads to a classic dentist office scene trope: screams heard from the waiting room and the wide-eyed reaction of the patients next on the list. As always, the ruckus isn’t even dental-related. This time, it’s all about the fish.

We can’t promise to make you laugh…but we will take excellent care of your smile!

Call to schedule your next appointment at Town Center Dentistry today.