Dentists are awesome.  So awesome, in fact, that they show up as characters in pop culture quite often. Here’s our pick for the Top 4 most memorable dentists in pop culture:

#4 – Finding Nemo

“Now he’s doing the Schilder technique,” say’s one.  “Ooh, he’s using a Hedstrom file,” replies another.  “That’s not a Hedstrom file, it’s a K-FLEX.” “It has a tear-dropped cross-section. Clearly, a Hedstrom.”

This wonderful banter can be heard among the aquarium residents in the dentist’s office in the movie Finding Nemo.  Not only is Dr. P Sherman a character referenced throughout the film, but his fishy friends and feisty niece are main characters, too.

#3 – The Man Who Knew Too Much

This one is a classic that inspired later movie scenes and famous quotes like Marathon Man’s “Is it safe?” line.  In this movie, inside a dingy dentist’s office, a man is confronted with a malevolent dentist. His gut reaction is to fight for his life.  A battle ensues and the tides turn as the patient struggles to put a gas mask on the doctor knocking him out cold and putting him to sleep.  Creepy!

#2 – SNL

Hey…who’s the barber here?! Back in York, England in 1303 AD Theodoric of York, Medieval Barbar was the man to go to when seeking a cure for what ails you.  Granted, his profession was rather all-encompassing, he was known to pull a tooth or two in his time (and then do something comical with leeches).

#1 – Little Shop of Horrors

The hit musical Little Shop of Horrors gave us a wonderfully sadistic character in the leather-clad rebel without a cause dentist, Dr. Orin Scrivello.  Interestingly enough this character was also played by Steve Martin in the 1986 movie musical.  We’re sensing a pattern here… At least this time the dentist got what was coming to him – death by laughing gas.  Best line of his solo song:

You be a dentist – you have a talent for causing things pain
You be a dentist – and people will pay you to be inhumane
Your temperament’s wrong for the priesthood – and teaching would suit you still less
Son, be a dentist – you’ll be a success!