A "Chip" Off The Ole' Molar

Interview Contact: Evans Barlow

When this writing project was assigned, I started by being totally stumped about who to interview. One day as a class was being taught by a substitute teacher, I thought about the interview. I realized that the substitute was an excellent model for the basis of my interview. Luckily, the substitute agreed to the interview. So that's how I discovered Mr. Evans Barlow.

"Until March fifth, 1942, I had never heard of a dental technician, or the dental laboratory profession.

Recoverin' from a hospital stay as a result of polio, I accepted a light job of keeping a dental laboratory clean, and also running errands, while picking up and delivering cases to the dentist.

I was soon exposed to an interesting and challenging job. I looked around, I liked what I saw. I saw how technicians lived. They lived in nice new homes, they dressed well, and the drove nice new cars; but mostly they were good citizens. They felt good about themselves, and each was a credit to the community.

I soon gained my employer's trust and confidence and was allowed to return to the laboratory in the evenings, and on weekends so that I might practice some of the skills which I had been exposed to throughout the day. [When I was translating the interview, from the tape, I found that Mr. Barlow talked in extremely long sentences.]

Soon I was working on certain jobs right on the bench,...what I mean is, in the laboratory doing real things, while someone else was doing the sweeping, the cleaning up, and the deliveries.

I worked the first forty-one years, losing only two and a half days due to sickness. That didn't mean I was never sick; maybe some days I didn't feel well. But because of my enjoyment of my work, I went to the laboratory anyway. I consider myself very fortunate.

[Then Mr. Barlow proceeded to tell me some of the skills that he had learned.]

Chipped, broken, or discolored teeth, whether one or many, must be repaired as soon as possible so that furthur damage will not result in the loss of a tooth structure, then the tooth must be prepared to a necessary predetermined form by the dentist, upon which the dental technician will cast a gold crown that is covered by ceramic porcelain to guarantee a replacement exactly matching or blending in with the existing teeth, as to the correct color, size, and shape.

When you have misalinged or crooked teeth, very satisfactory results are obtained when the dentist, who is also known as an orthodontist, attaches laboratory-created braces. These are attached directly to the teeth, which by exerting certain controlled leverages, the dentist can push or pull them into desired positions, thus creating a very pleasant smile while also creating a more functional bite or chewing capability.

Missing teeth need to be replaced not only for looks but also to keep the other teeth in their correct positions. This is very necessary for chewing properly, and also for correct speaking sounds or pronunciation. Missing teeth for an extended period of time may also result in the persons loss of hearing, as the mouth sometimes closes, without the teeth to act as stops, closes too far causing the ear canal to be restricted. This is remedied by the dental laboratory creating resotrations which exactly adjust the closing for the individual patient."

As I was doing this interview for a school project, I gained a new and greater respect for elders, because they have been around longer and therefore accumulated more knowledge than I have as of now.

James Bray