Movember and the Birth of Dental Dudes

If you’ve been following this blog, or are just stopping by for the first time, it is no secret that the life of a first year dental student is often far from one of leisure. One description about the first year of dental school that I find incredibly fitting is one that Dr. Mark Pinsky gave to us during lecture: “Your life is like a game of whack-a-mole, there is always something to be done.” The truth is that even in the midst of what feels like an insurmountable amount of schoolwork, we often find ways to keep the class morale high.

One, surprisingly warm, late October day, I stumbled across the Movember foundation homepage via an ad on Twitter.  With a pitch reading “Mustaches for a great cause” and a picture of men with above average facial hair, I was intrigued to find out more.

Much like the Breast Cancer awareness month of October, this foundation exists to promote awareness for diseases that are specific to men.  The diseases include prostate cancer (the second most common cancer of men in the US), testicular cancer (the most common cancer in young men), poor mental health (affects 25% of men), and physical inactivity (affects 53.8% of men).  If raising awareness and money wasn’t enough, the foundation also funds academic and clinical institutions with the money raised to conduct research in these specific areas.

So you’re telling me that I can contribute to raising awareness, donations, funding research all by growing a moustache for the month of November? SIGN ME UP!!  My next move: how to get involved with the foundation? After registering with the page, a “create a team” option was available.  Who could I possibly recruit to jump on board with me and grow a mustache for an entire month? Who would possibly be willing to seize this opportunity?

The next day in school, I happened to stumble upon the 1881 school of dentistry composite photo.The amount of moustache in that class was nothing short of superb (not to mention the hair style was also fantastic). I then found myself lost in the wall of 1980’s composite photos, which were also drenched in moustache galore.

As I walked into the lecture hall, realizing I was about to be late for class, my eureka moment occurred. The moustache has been an indirect symbol of men in dentistry and I needed to recruit my classmates to join the movement.  It all made sense, just like millionth time I was explained the composition of enamel, and the first time I heard the Back Street Boys in 4^th grade. In this moment the “Dental Dudes” Movember team was born.

I rushed to find my seat in the lecture hall and pull out my computer. I devised a quick message to post in our class Facebook page before class starts. I was expecting that one maybe two guys would want to join in. At the end of the day, thirteen of my classmates signed up to join the Movember foundation as a part of our team. Not only was I excited that my classmates were joining in but I was beginning to realize the magnitude of what would be occurring for the month of November.

Keep an eye out for the conclusion of this thrilling tale, as well as a pretty impressive picture of the retro ‘staches the Dental Dudes were able to grow.  To donate to their Movember campaign, check out their campaign page http://moteam.co/dental-dudes.

Alex Shore is a D1, and the Social Chairman for the D1 class.  He can also grow a pretty luxurious moustache.