Painless Parker | This Circus Dentist Defied the Law and Pulled Teeth for Fame

Things I Learned Last Night

What would you do if your dentist wore a necklace made of human teeth? Sounds wild, right? This was the reality for Painless Parker, a dentist unlike any other in history. Parker’s story blends dental work, circus acts, and a love for showmanship that made him famous (and infamous) during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Painless Parker, originally named Edgar R. Parker, was born in 1872 in New Brunswick, Canada. He wasn’t the best student and struggled in school. After getting expelled from two universities, Parker tried different jobs, like selling pots and pans and working on ships. None of these suited him.

Edgar didn’t give up. He moved to Philadelphia and attended another dental college, where he finally graduated. He soon opened a dental office but struggled to attract patients. At that time, advertising dental services was considered unethical.

To solve this, Parker got creative. Inspired by circus promoters, he partnered with a former PT Barnum worker named William Beebe. Together, they created a traveling dental circus. Painless Parker became his new name and his new brand.

Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today!

Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: https://tilln.com/support

Episode link: https://tilln.com/painlessparker

Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast

Watch John R Brinkley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzBPxDMk460&t=1016s&ab_channel=ThingsILearnedLastNight

Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices