RDH, 1981-82

A drum roll for the hats

Although the “nursing caps” disappeared from the professional uniform during the 1980s, several photos appeared with the models wearing hats during the first two years of the magazine.

Mary Martha Stevens, a Kansas dental hygienist, took many of the photographs for the magazine in the early years, and she sometimes did photo essays, such as the one above. Stevens still writes articles for the magazine.

Goofiest ad?

At right, a common advertisement for RDH was for Columbus Dental’s Orbison prophy instrument, which apparently made the hygienists smile.

Scary story?

The photo at left appeared with an article about job termination. Dentist looks like a villian in a melodrama, eh? Parking lot looks suspiciously like the Texas publisher’s lot, circa 1981.