In the exhibition at Ballangen Museum in Ofoten, there is an old and worn dentist’s chair. The chair’s leather is faded and cracked.
The dentist’s chair at Ballangen Museum
It has seen countless patients, both young and old, and many have probably nervously looked at the ceiling at the dentist as they lay there with their mouths wide open.
Many of the museum’s visitors shudder at the sight of the dentist’s chair, because even though technology has evolved, and modern dental clinics are now equipped with more advanced equipment, the fear of the dentist is still present.
The dental chair at Ballangen Museum is of the brand Ritter A.G., manufactured in Durlach/Baden in Germany. The company was founded in 1887 by the German Frank Ritter.
The company started with the production of dental chairs, but from 1917 onwards they gradually developed several products, such as drills and saliva extractors. In addition to the dentist’s chair, Ballangen Museum has a number of other dental equipment.
At Fygle Museum in Vestvågøy in Lofoten, there is also dental equipment in the artefact collection, but of a slightly more recent date than the one at Ballangen Museum. Some of the equipment at Fygle is also from Ritter.
There is, among other things, a dentist’s chair, a drill, a table with cabinets and drawers, and a sink for mouthwash and saliva extraction.
This dental equipment is from the 1950s, and came to Valberg in Lofoten in the 1960s. The dentist was located in Valberg Health Centre, together with the doctor.
The dental equipment was donated to the museum by Vestvågøy Municipality in the summer of 2001.