TY - JOUR
T1 - The straight probe: a dental misnomer
AU - Hellyer, P.
N1 - Editor's note: This article was published as part of the 2018 BDJ Christmas issue in the spirit and fun of the festive season. Most of the facts and figures used in this paper are either dubious or wholly made-up.
Honorary member of staff so not REF-able. No post-print
PY - 2018/12/14
Y1 - 2018/12/14
N2 - Most dentists have a 'thingummybob' or a 'whatsit' in their instrument armamentarium, to which their dental nurse is supposed to be able to lay their hand instantly. Usually dental instruments are logically named to avoid this potential source of confusion. However, some instruments are not, of which the straight probe is one example. The straight probe is not logically named, quite simply because it is not straight. It is bent. This paper investigates the anomaly and suggests that a forgotten hero of the profession is responsible for the development of this indispensable instrument.
AB - Most dentists have a 'thingummybob' or a 'whatsit' in their instrument armamentarium, to which their dental nurse is supposed to be able to lay their hand instantly. Usually dental instruments are logically named to avoid this potential source of confusion. However, some instruments are not, of which the straight probe is one example. The straight probe is not logically named, quite simply because it is not straight. It is bent. This paper investigates the anomaly and suggests that a forgotten hero of the profession is responsible for the development of this indispensable instrument.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058532927&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.1032
DO - 10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.1032
M3 - Comment/debate
SN - 0007-0610
VL - 225
SP - 1029
EP - 1032
JO - British Dental Journal
JF - British Dental Journal
IS - 11
ER -