Teeth Marks is a project by artist Anna Dumitriu exploring the strange histories and emerging futures of dentistry: from teeth worms, false teeth and the development of anaesthetics to 3D printing and the DNA of dental microbes. It looks at the societal and psychological impacts of this defining field of medicine through a deep investigation of the Birmingham Dental Hospital (BDH) Historic Collection and collaboration with present day researchers who work at the cutting edge of medical science. The project asks audiences to reflect on the work of pioneers in the stranger than fiction history of dentistry and explore the evolution of the field. It also raises awareness of the work of dental researchers today who are creating innovations we will all benefit from in the future. This exhibition draws threads across time and asks us to consider where the potential benefits, and risks, might occur.

The project was first exhibited at the BDH Open Wide Gallery in Birmingham Dental Hospital, and opened on 3rd October 2019. It was created in close collaboration with scientist and researcher Dr Melissa Grant from the University of Birmingham, curator of the BDH Collection, and generously funded by Arts Council England.