Prior to the twentieth century,physicians extracted teeth and fit dentures. In some isolated communities anyone, including blacksmiths, pulled teeth. Carnival"tooth drawers" pulled teeth as sideshow entertainment.By the second half of the nineteenth century, many towns had dental "parlors." Practitioners often traveled from town to town, advertising their services in advance.
Dentist W. S. Yarbrough and patient in his Main Street office, n.d.