One of our patients sent us a copy of this ad from 1917 featuring “Painless Parker: Surgical and Mechanical Dentistry.” 
Painless Parker was, at one point, was more famous than the president!
Painless Parker, a dentist from the turn of the century who was a pro at advertising for performing “painless extractions. ”
He established the first and, hopefully, last sidewalk dental show. He employed a brass band, bespangled women and contortionists who would perform a sideshow to drum up patients. Dr. Parker would be on-hand to speak out on the horrors of tooth decay and then he would ask for volunteers to come forth to sit in his portable dental chair. One of his assistants would volunteer, and the doctor would pretend to extract a tooth without causing pain. He would afterwards display a palmed tooth to the astonished audience.
But back in his office when Dr. Parker pulled a real tooth, he would tap his foot to signal to the band to play and thereby drown out the screams of the unlucky patient.
A couple of other controversial things he did include:
- He armed himself with an aqueous solution of cocaine he called “hydrocaine,” Parker shared his message on street corners where he offered painless extractions for 50 cents. He promised that, if the extraction hurt, he would pay patients $5! The first night he extracted 12 teeth and didn’t have to give anyone the money. He found this surprising because, after the seventh patient, he ran out of hydrocaine!
- The outside of the Flatbush Avenue building that housed his dental office blazed with the following claims:
- “Proclaimed by Public, Press and Pulpit”;
- “Painless Parker Is Positively Perfect”;
- “Pains and Pangs Positively Prevented.”
The dental association was not amused by his false claims. Born Edgar Rudolph Randolph Parker, he legally changed his name to “Painless” in 1915 because of complaints of false advertising.
Luckily, Dr. Korenman of Loveable Smiles in Richardson employs truth-in-advertising has been referred to as the “Listening Dentist” who provides “No Pain, No Fear” dental services.
Dr. Korenman has invested in the most advanced dental technology to provide you, the patient with the greatest comfort as well as a pain free dental experience.
Call for your pain free dental experience. 972-231-0585