Travel + Leisure

5 dental-themed Halloween costumes

Taylor Cohen (left) and Rachel Bush, both Las Vegas ’18, as the “caries fairy” and the “tooth fairy”

It’s that time of year when we get to show off our creative sides at their nerdy best. If you haven’t found the perfect dental-themed Halloween costume yet, don’t fret! Here are a few ideas sure to amaze your classmates and spark your friends’ interest (because they probably won’t catch the dental reference the first time around).

1. Tooth fairy/caries fairy

Pro: You can coordinate with a friend. Plus, it’s more likely that everyone will understand your costume.

Con: If you’re the tooth fairy, you might have to be extra careful when wearing all white. Also, if you live in a colder climate, it’s hard to wear a coat over fairy wings.

How to pull it off: Dress in white (or black, if you’re the caries fairy). Find a pair of fairy/angel wings, which are available at most costume stores. You can buy a wand, or you can get crafty and make one! A dowel rod, sparkly ribbon and a plastic tooth can make a pretty convincing prop, as you can see above in my awesome (ridiculous?) version.

2. Unfinished round of antibiotics

Pro: Antibiotic resistance and the ecological impact of disposal are terrifying!

Con: Friends who aren’t in a health profession might not understand what you’re going for. Be prepared to get on your soapbox.

How to pull it off: Dress all in orange. Cut out paper ovals in various colors and tape or pin them to your clothes. Write out a prescription label on lightweight posterboard and attach that to the front.

3. Orin Scrivello, DDS (the dentist from “Little Shop of Horrors”)

Pro: It’s an easy costume to put together; plus, you’ll look so cool in that leather jacket. Bonus points if you carry a [fake!] nitrous tank with you. You can also recruit a friend to be a giant carnivorous alien plant (spoiler alert).

Con: Most people under 40 will have no idea who you’re supposed to be. You might just have to say you’re Danny Zuko from “Grease.”

How to pull it off: Skinny jeans with the cuffs rolled, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. Slick your hair back and put on your best Steve-Martin-imitating-Elvis-Presley imitation.

4. Perio instrument

Pro: It’s totally relevant. Also, your entire costume can be made out of aluminum foil. Maybe wear real shoes though.

Con: The costume could get warped from dancing too hard.

How to pull it off: Wear something comfortable. Wrap yourself in an outer layer of aluminum foil with tape to secure it. Make sure it’s not too tight and you can move around. Sculpt the tip of your favorite periodontal instrument out of foil and tape it to the top of a beanie hat. You can also cover the outside of the beanie in foil. Bonus points if you include a label with the manufacturer’s code on the handle (your torso).

5. G.V. Black

Pro: It is not possible to be more hip and relevant than dressing up as the “Father of Modern Dentistry.”

Con: This costume will probably only make sense if everyone at your Halloween shindig is a dental student.

How to pull it off: Find a black or dark-colored three-piece suit and a small black bow tie. Wear a fake white beard with a mustache, or draw one on with white eyeliner. You can even grow your own if you’re so inclined! Carry around a few capsules of amalgam or a dental history textbook. Fun twist: Use metallic body paint and dress up as the statue of G.V. Black in Lincoln Park in Chicago.

Do you have a cool or hilarious costume idea? Have you ever dressed up as one of these? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

~ Rachel Bush, Las Vegas ’18, electronic editor

Rachel Bush

Rachel is a fourth-year dental student at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. She hails from northern Illinois and has enjoyed the transition to desert life. She is active in her school's volunteer Women's Clinic, which provides free care for abused women. She serves as an electronic editor on ASDA's 2017-18 National Editorial Board (her second year in that role).

You may also like ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *